- By Deeksha Gour
- Tue, 10 Jun 2025 12:17 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
A New York federal judge has dismissed actor Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against actress Blake Lively and actor Ryan Reynolds, ruling that the claims lacked legal merit. The case, which included allegations of defamation, extortion and contract interference, stemmed from a public fallout between the actors following their work on the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
The court found that Lively’s accusations of sexual harassment were legally protected under litigation privilege. These claims, initially filed with the California Civil Rights Department and later reported by The New York Times, cannot be used as the basis for defamation lawsuits, according to Judge Lewis J. Liman.
Additionally, the judge ruled that The New York Times was shielded from legal action under the “fair report” privilege, which allows media outlets to report accurately on ongoing legal matters without being held liable for defamation.
Baldoni’s lawsuit had accused Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane and the newspaper of conspiring to damage his reputation and career. However, the judge concluded that most of the claims were not legally valid.
Although most of Baldoni’s case was dismissed, the court has allowed him to revise and refile certain portions of the suit, particularly those concerning possible interference with professional contracts.
Lively’s legal team welcomed the ruling, calling it a clear win. In a statement, they described Baldoni’s claims as “a sham” and “retaliatory.” They added that the court recognised the lawsuit as an abuse of the legal process and announced plans to seek attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive penalties against Baldoni, his co-founders at Wayfarer, and other individuals involved in the litigation.
The legal dispute began when Lively accused Baldoni and producers of orchestrating a smear campaign after she raised concerns about working conditions during the filming of It Ends With Us.
