In the wake of a major court decision in her ongoing lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively issued a sharp statement that sparked widespread online debate.
On December 31, 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and the PR firm TAG, alleging they orchestrated a smear campaign against her after she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
Recently, the legal battle took a major turn when Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims, including those related to sexual harassment and defamation. Three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting retaliation—remain and are scheduled to go to civil trial next month in New York.
Liman wrote, “There is no question that this conduct might support a hostile work environment claim if it occurred on the factory floor or in the executive suite.” However, he added that “it would be difficult to view Baldoni’s conduct as reflecting hostility or bias based on gender,” noting that “he was acting in the scene.” He also emphasized that “creative artists must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment.”
While dismissing the sexual harassment claims, Liman acknowledged there could have been enough evidence for a jury to consider whether Lively’s concerns were sincere, including her discomfort over comments about her physical appearance. Nevertheless, because she was classified as an independent contractor, she could not pursue those claims under federal civil rights law.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Baldoni’s attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach, celebrated their legal victory: “We’re very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants.”
Lively also shared a statement from her attorney, Mike Gottlieb, on Instagram, along with a personal message addressing the dismissals. She said she is “grateful” she will be able to present the “heart of my case” at trial and urged the public not to be “distracted by the digital soap opera” or dismiss it as “celebrity drama."
She continued, "The physical pain from digital violence is very real. It is abuse. And it’s everywhere."
Separately, Baldoni filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging they tried to damage his reputation. That case was dismissed last June.
Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni is set to go to trial on May 18, 2026. - Megan Parsons