Blake Lively’s sexual harassment suit against “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni saw most of its claims dismissed by a New York judge Thursday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman threw out 10 of the 13 claims from Lively’s explosive December 2024 lawsuit first published in the New York Times. The Thursday ruling allowed three claims to proceed to trial, including breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation. Lively’s claims of defamation, conspiracy and harassment against Baldoni were tossed out by the judge, however.
In response to the ruling, Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively’s legal team, told TheWrap, “This case has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial. For Blake Lively, the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted. She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight.”
“Sexual harassment isn’t going forward not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee,” she further noted.
Baldoni’s legal team then issued the following statement early Friday morning: “Since the first day of this case, when Justin and the other defendants were blindsighted by these allegations, the legal team on the ground from the beginning have worked extremely long days and nights defending this case through transparency by releasing the actual truthful text messages, and by welcoming and facilitating the release of all documents exhibiting the truth. The defendants were not afraid of the truth. The plan was not only to speak the truth but to also show that same truth over and over again through the presentation of actual evidence. Neither Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath nor any of the other defendants have engaged in the sexual harassment of Blake Lively.”
“Despite our clients being accused of DARVO in defending these claims and despite our client being referred to in writing as a predator, what I said, on behalf of our client’s day one and every day since then is true. Our clients are very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged. As such, they have deserved a vigorous defense which was led through transparency,” lawyer Bryan Freedman added. “It is gratifying to see that the courts ruling confirms what the legal team believed from day one.”
According to the Thursday ruling, the jury could find Baldoni guilty of retaliation, specifically for his PR strategy after the movie was filmed, claiming Lively had a “bad reputation” and communication from Baldoni’s publicists suggesting they could “bury anyone.”
The “Gossip Girl” star accused Baldoni, the director and male lead of the Colleen Hoover film, of sexually harassing her on set by making unwelcome comments about her appearance and weight. She also alleged that Baldoni hired a team of publicists to amplify negative content about her online.
Lively specifically argued that the campaign generated more than 176 million negative impressions about her. The judge argued that attacking Lively’s career could cross into illegal retaliation.
Baldoni and his lawyers claimed that Lively used exaggerated charges to gain control of the film. The “Jane the Virgin” star’s legal defense also noted that he had a right to defend himself against, what he considered, false allegations.
“It Ends With Us” was the first Hoover adaptation to hit the box office and grossed $350 million worldwide. The film’s box office success and longstanding reputation was tainted by rumors of a rift between the stars and alleged on-set misconduct.
In January 2025, Baldoni hit Lively back with a $400 million countersuit, accusing the actress, her husband Ryan Reynolds and others of defamation, extortion and more. A judge dismissed his pursuit in June 2025.
The case is set to go to trial in May. The co-stars attended a mediation session with a magistrate judge in February, but that meeting did not result in a settlement.
