The ongoing legal drama between actor-director Justin Baldoni and Hollywood star Blake Lively took another turn this week after a judge dismissed two major lawsuits filed by Baldoni. But rather than conceding defeat, Baldoni’s camp insists the legal battle is far from over. On Monday, June 9, Judge Lewis J. Liman tossed out Baldoni’s 400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. The judge also dismissed a separate 250 million defamation suit Baldoni had filed against The New York Times for its reporting on Lively’s sexual harassment allegations against him. The ruling is seen by many as a win for Lively and her team, who have described it as a full and decisive victory.
Justin Baldoni On Lawsuit Dismissal
However, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, while speaking to Just Jared, Bryan Freedman, challenged that framing. In a new statement to Just Jared, Freedman said Lively’s side is spinning the outcome as a total win, when in reality, the court has granted Baldoni the chance to revise and resubmit four of the seven claims, most of which relate to breach of contract and interference.
He emphasised that this case is not over, stating that Baldoni still plans to present new evidence and more detailed accusations. According to Freedman, Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and claims of a coordinated smear campaign have never been substantiated and remain just as questionable now as when they were first made. Freedman also pointed out that the judge’s ruling allows them until June 23 to file an updated complaint. “We remain confident,” he said, “and look forward to Lively’s upcoming deposition.”
In December 2024, Lively filed a civil rights complaint accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation during the making of their film It Ends With Us. Baldoni denied all allegations and responded in January 2025 with lawsuits alleging that Lively and Reynolds tried to ruin his career. His suit against The New York Times claimed the publication relied heavily on Lively’s version of events and ignored critical facts. But the court found no grounds to support Baldoni’s defamation claims and upheld the outlet’s right to report on matters of public interest.
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Though Baldoni’s primary claims were dismissed, he now has less than two weeks to revive the case, this time with new legal angles and added details.