Judge Dismisses Most Claims in Blake Lively's Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
A federal judge has dismissed the majority of the claims in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by actress Blake Lively against her co-star Justin Baldoni.
In a detailed 152-page opinion released on Thursday, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims brought by Lively, including allegations of harassment and defamation.
The two actors, who starred together in the 2024 film It Ends with Us, have been engaged in a legal dispute since Lively filed suit against Baldoni in 2024. She accused him of sexual harassment and initiating a smear campaign against her, allegations that Baldoni denies.
Judge Liman allowed three claims to proceed against Baldoni, specifically those involving retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation. This decision comes just weeks before the scheduled trial in New York.
Previously, a judge dismissed Baldoni's $400 million (£295 million) counter-lawsuit against Lively, which had alleged civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
Background of the Case
The lawsuit arises from interactions between Baldoni and Lively on the set of It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel. Lively portrays the main character, Lily Bloom, a young woman who grew up witnessing domestic abuse and later finds herself in a similar situation.
In December 2024, Lively filed suit against Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging that Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and retaliated against her for reporting the conduct, among other claims.
Lively's legal team has accused Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios of orchestrating a "multi-tiered plan" to damage her reputation. This plan allegedly included manipulation of social media and the use of sympathetic journalists to promote certain narratives. Lively detailed these allegations in a New York Times article published prior to filing the lawsuit.
Conversely, Baldoni's legal representatives have stated that the allegations are "categorically false." They contend that a crisis public relations manager was hired in response to Lively's threats to disrupt the film unless her demands were met.
