A lawsuit initiated by actor and director Justin Baldoni against his former co-star Blake Lively has been formally concluded by a judge. The case, which involved a $400 million claim, was dismissed after Baldoni failed to meet a court-mandated deadline to continue his lawsuit.
The legal conflict began in December when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and initiating a smear campaign against her while they collaborated on the 2024 film It Ends With Us. In response, Baldoni filed a lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and the New York Times, citing allegations of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
In June, the court dismissed Baldoni’s claims but allowed him to file an amended complaint. However, Judge Lewis Liman stated that Baldoni did not submit the necessary amendments. The judge contacted both parties on October 17, indicating he would soon issue a final judgment. Lively was the only party to respond, requesting that her legal fees remain open for pursuit, to which the judge acquiesced. Meanwhile, Lively’s original lawsuit against Baldoni continues.
After the dismissal of Baldoni’s case, Lively’s legal team characterized the outcome as a significant victory for her. In contrast, Baldoni’s lawyer countered that the dismissal of certain claims did not undermine the validity of their case, as the court had suggested they could amend multiple allegations against Lively.
Judge Liman previously articulated that Baldoni’s claims hinged on allegations that Lively “stole the film” from him by threatening to withdraw promotional support and that she perpetuated a false narrative involving sexual assault. However, the judge concluded that Baldoni’s accusations did not meet the legal standards for wrongful extortion or defamation, stating that the New York Times reported based on available evidence without malice towards Baldoni.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c986npp638qo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss