A New York federal judge has dismissed actor and director Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against his "It Ends With Us" co-star Blake Lively, marking a significant turning point in a highly publicized legal battle that has captivated Hollywood and its fans alike.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Baldoni’s claims against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, lacked legal merit. The lawsuit, filed by Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios in January 2025, accused Lively and Reynolds of defamation and extortion following Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of the 2024 film "It Ends With Us."
Judge Liman’s 132-page decision dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit on multiple grounds. Central to the ruling was the recognition that allegations made within a lawsuit are privileged and exempt from defamation claims, effectively shielding Lively’s accusations from Baldoni’s defamation suit. The judge further found that Baldoni’s claims—that Lively had stolen creative control of the film by threatening not to promote it—did not constitute extortion under California law.
In addition to dismissing the defamation suit against Lively and Reynolds, Judge Liman also threw out Baldoni’s $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times. The Times had reported extensively on Lively’s sexual harassment allegations in a December 2024 article titled "'We Can Bury Anyone': Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine." The judge ruled that the newspaper’s reporting was protected under the "fair report" privilege, noting that the Times had no apparent motive to favor Lively’s version of events and that their journalism was conducted in good faith.
While the court dismissed the bulk of Baldoni’s claims, it allowed him and Wayfarer Studios the opportunity to amend and refile narrower allegations related to contractual interference by June 23, 2025. This leaves open the possibility of future legal maneuvers, though the sweeping defamation and extortion claims have been effectively quashed.
The legal feud traces back to the release of "It Ends With Us," an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel. The film, which explores themes of love and domestic abuse, debuted in August 2024 to a $50 million opening weekend and grossed over $351 million worldwide. Despite its commercial success, the film’s promotion was overshadowed by rumors of discord between Baldoni and Lively, with Baldoni conducting much of his press separately from the rest of the cast.
In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department alleging repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior by Baldoni and Jamey Heath, CEO of Wayfarer Studios. Following this, she brought a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of retaliation, further igniting tensions.
Baldoni’s countersuit accused Lively, Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times of orchestrating a smear campaign to destroy his reputation and career. He alleged that Lively had "stolen Wayfarer's movie," hijacked its premiere, and aimed to drive Baldoni and his company out of business. However, Judge Liman found that these accusations lacked factual support and did not meet the legal standards for defamation or extortion.
In his detailed opinion, Judge Liman noted, "The Wayfarer Parties' conclusory allegations that Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane engaged in a conspiracy to defame the Wayfarer Parties by disseminating knowingly false statements cannot substitute for factual allegations supporting a plausible inference that this occurred." He also emphasized the importance of protecting freedoms of expression and the role of journalists in covering stories of public interest.
Following the ruling, Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, issued a statement declaring the decision "a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times." They described Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit as "a sham" and expressed anticipation for pursuing attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and his associates.
Blake Lively herself took to Instagram to reflect on the ordeal, stating, "Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us. While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back. I am more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves."
A spokesperson for The New York Times, Charlie Stadtlander, also commented on the outcome, saying, "Our journalists went out and covered carefully and fairly a story of public importance, and the court recognized that the law is designed to protect just that sort of journalism. We will continue to stand up in court for our journalism and for our journalists when their work comes under attack."
As of now, representatives for Justin Baldoni have not responded to requests for comment. The legal battle is not entirely over, as Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni remains active, with a trial scheduled for March 2026. Notably, Lively recently sought to withdraw two claims from her suit—intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress—indicating ongoing adjustments in the litigation strategy.
The case highlights the complex intersection of Hollywood power dynamics, workplace misconduct allegations, and the challenges of navigating defamation law in the public eye. It also underscores the protections afforded to individuals making legal claims and the role of the press in reporting on such matters.
With the dismissal of Baldoni’s sweeping countersuit, Blake Lively and her legal team have secured a significant win, reaffirming the legal shield around her sexual harassment allegations and the reporting thereof. Yet, the story continues to unfold, reminding the entertainment industry and the public alike of the high stakes involved when accusations of misconduct and reputation collide on the grand stage.
