US judge dismisses Justin Baldoni’s $400M lawsuit against Blake Lively, New York Times
Published: 10 June 2025, 1:08:31
A US federal judge on Monday dismissed a $400 million defamation lawsuit filed by actor and director Justin Baldoni against actress Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times, following public accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct during the filming of ”It Ends with Us”.
In December, The New York Times reported that Lively had filed a formal complaint against Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, alleging inappropriate behavior on set. According to the complaint, Baldoni—who also directed the film—made explicit remarks about his sex life and attempted to alter the script to include sex scenes not previously agreed upon. Heath was also accused of watching Lively while she was topless, despite being told to turn away. The complaint further alleged that Baldoni engaged in a public relations campaign to damage Lively’s reputation.
Wayfarer Studios, the production company behind the film, denied any retaliation against Lively. “These claims are completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman said at the time.
Baldoni filed his lawsuit in January, arguing that the Times’ article defamed him and that Lively and Reynolds contributed to a damaging narrative. However, Judge Lewis Liman of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan ruled that The New York Times had simply reported on Lively’s legal complaint, and had made efforts to include Baldoni’s side of the story.
The court also rejected Baldoni’s claims that Lively sought to take control of the film’s production and promotion, and dismissed allegations that Reynolds had falsely labeled him a sexual predator.
Lively’s legal team called the ruling a “total victory” against what they described as a “retaliatory lawsuit.” Baldoni’s representatives did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
It Ends with Us, based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover, was a major box office success in 2024, grossing over $350 million worldwide.
