Blake Lively outplays Justin Baldoni in court; $400M lawsuit tossed by judge

In a recent development in Hollywood’s legal drama, actor Blake Lively secured a significant win as a judge dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation case against her. The ongoing dispute stems from tensions during the making of the film It Ends With Us, in which both actors are cast. The order, passed on June 9 by Judge Lewis J. Liman, dismissed Baldoni’s major claims, including those against Lively’s husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. The counter-lawsuit, which alleged defamation and extortion, has been labelled by Lively’s legal team as baseless from the beginning.

According to the Variety, the judge’s order stated that Lively’s accusations are legally protected, essentially rejecting Baldoni’s argument that she and her team attempted to destroy his reputation. His claims of extortion and defamation failed to hold in court. However, he has been given the option to revise and refile two of the lesser claims.

The conflict gained media attention earlier this year when Baldoni filed the lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, her longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times. The suit accused them of defaming him through alleged smear campaigns and media manipulation. Blake Lively’s legal representatives responded to the court's decision, calling it a “total victory.” They stated, “As we have said from day one, this $400 million lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it.” They also described the case as “abusive litigation,” and now intend to seek attorneys’ fees and punitive damages.

The court’s dismissal not only clears Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for now but also releases Sloane and the publication from any immediate legal jeopardy tied to this case. Baldoni, best known for his role in Jane the Virgin, had initially alleged that Lively falsely accused him of s*xual misconduct and damaged his career through public relations tactics. With the judge’s dismissal, those claims have lost their force. While Baldoni may revise certain parts of the suit, this decision is seen as a strong legal relief for Lively and her team. As of now, she retains the right to continue with her own claims related to the case.