Justin Baldoni isn’t backing down from his legal battle with It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively after his lawsuit against her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, was dismissed.
“Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling,” Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman told Us Weekly in a statement on Tuesday, June 10. “While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations. This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.”
Freedman continued, “Most importantly, Ms. Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking. We are grateful for the organic show of support from the public and for the dedication of the Internet sleuth community who continue to cover the case with discernment and integrity.”
On Monday, June 9, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed the $400 million lawsuit filed by Baldoni, 41, and his Wayfarer Studios that accused Lively, 37, and Reynolds, 48, of extortion and defamation. Baldoni’s lawsuit against The New York Times was also dismissed. (The drama between Lively and Baldoni went public in summer 2024 when they were promoting It Ends With Us, and there was a clear disconnect between the costars. She took legal action in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and claiming his team orchestrated an alleged smear campaign aganist her. He has denied all the allegations.)
Justin Baldoni’s Lawsuit Against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Dismissed
While the suit was dismissed, the judge stated that Baldoni and his legal team could amend the claims for breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract. The deadline for them to do so will be June 23.
After the dismissal, Lively’s legal team called the judge’s opinion “a total victory and a complete vindication” for the Gossip Girl alum. “As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,” Lively’s lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb told Us on Monday. “We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”
Lively, meanwhile, promised to continue to “stand up” for women’s rights in her first statement after the lawsuit’s dismissal.
“Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women’s rights to speak up for their safety,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday. “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us.”
Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds ‘Feel Relief’ After Justin Baldoni Suit Tossed
She continued, “While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back. I’m more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story.”
Lively went on to add that “there are protections out there” for women in need, linking out to “some of the incredible organizations” she has worked with or knows exist, including the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the National Organization for Women.
“With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me, many of you I know. Many of you I don’t,” Lively concluded. “But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you. — B.”
After the dismissal, an insider close to Lively and Reynolds exclusively told Us that the pair “feel relief and vindication” following the judge’s decision. “Blake is feeling a sense of pride that she continued to use her voice and stand strong and the counterattacks will now no longer be given more air,” the source added.
