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Photograph: (Image Courtesy: Mamamia)
A U.S. federal judge has thrown out Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, signalling a significant turn in the ongoing legal dispute between the two sides.
The dispute began in December 2023, when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department accusing Baldoni—director of the upcoming film adaptation of ‘It Ends With Us’—of s*xual harassment and retaliatory behaviour. She alleged that he engaged in “inappropriate and unwelcome behaviour” and sought to damage her professional reputation. Baldoni denied the accusations and countersued in January, naming Lively, Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane in a $400 million claim, and alleging extortion on Lively’s part.
Following the filing, Baldoni was reportedly dropped by his talent agency William Morris Endeavour (WME) and had a women’s solidarity award withdrawn.
On 9th June, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s entire lawsuit, ruling that Lively’s accusations were legally protected under litigation privilege, which shields statements made during legal proceedings from defamation claims. Additionally, Liman found that media reports, such as those by The New York Times, were protected by the fair report privilege, which grants outlets the right to report on official legal matters.
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While the broader defamation suit was thrown out, the judge permitted Baldoni to amend and potentially refile a few claims related to alleged interference with contracts.
In a public statement, Lively’s legal representatives described the ruling as a “total victory” and a “complete vindication” for Lively and those involved in the countersuit, including Reynolds, Sloane, and The New York Times. They maintained that the lawsuit was unfounded and confirmed their intent to seek attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni, his associates, and others connected to Wayfarer Studios.
Judge Liman also examined certain allegations outlined in the countersuit. Reynolds had been accused of calling Baldoni a “s*xual predator”, but the judge noted that Reynolds was relying on his wife’s account and had no reason to question her version of events. Sloane was similarly cleared, with the court ruling that her communications with the Daily Mail were not defamatory.
Significantly, Judge Liman had previously rejected Lively’s claims of emotional distress. She now faces the choice of settling those claims with prejudice—which would prevent her from reintroducing them in court—or requesting their dismissal without an agreement, which might allow the court to strike them without prejudice. In either scenario, her legal team will not be permitted to submit evidence related to emotional distress.
Subpoena to Taylor Swift Withdrawn as Trial Date Set for 2026
In a separate but related move, Baldoni’s legal team had previously issued a subpoena to Taylor Swift, a close friend of Lively. He alleged that Swift and Reynolds pressured him during a meeting at Swift’s New York City home to accept changes to a film script. However, the subpoena was later withdrawn. In response, Lively’s representatives expressed relief, stating their support for Swift’s legal team and reaffirming their commitment to defending third parties from what they described as unjust legal harassment.
A trial concerning Lively’s initial complaint against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios is scheduled for March 2026.
