Judge rules against Blake Lively’s major claim on Justin Baldoni
A federal judge has dismissed the majority of Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, throwing out ten of her thirteen claims including the central allegation of sexual harassment, but ruling that her accusations of retaliation will go before a jury at a trial scheduled for 18 May.
US District Judge Lewis Liman issued the ruling on Thursday, significantly narrowing the case that has played out in public and in the courts for over a year.
The remaining claims centre on alleged breach of contract, retaliation by Baldoni’s production company Wayfarer, and aiding in retaliation by the public relations firm he hired.
The sexual harassment claim was dismissed on legal grounds, the judge found it lacked the substantial connection to California required under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and that Lively did not qualify under federal civil rights law because she was an independent contractor rather than an employee.
“Ultimately, Lively fails to confront what is the central dilemma in her claim,” Liman wrote.
However, the court was far from dismissive of what happened in the aftermath of those allegations.
Liman wrote that “certain conduct at least arguably crossed the line,” noting that there are limits to how someone accused of harassment can respond.
“There comes a point where the accused stops simply defending him or herself and starts taking action that a reasonable jury could view as retaliation for the fact that the accuser had the temerity to make the accusations.”
The judge also found “some direct evidence that the plan to destroy Lively and her career was put into action.”
Among the details that will now go before a jury: messaging points in Baldoni’s PR campaign claiming Lively had a poor industry reputation “spanning decades” and that production staff lost jobs due to her alleged takeover of the film.
Crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan was quoted in court documents saying she couldn’t send certain materials “that could get us in a lot of trouble” and adding, “You know we can bury anyone.”
Wayfarer founder Steve Sarowitz was quoted stating, “There will be two dead bodies when I’m done.” The court also noted that Baldoni requested his PR team spread a video portraying Lively as insensitive to domestic violence survivors.
Lively’s lawyer Sigrid McCawley said the 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.”
She added that Lively “looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation.”
Baldoni’s lawyers stressed the significance of the dismissals, saying what remained was “a significantly narrowed case.”
All claims against Baldoni personally, along with those against Wayfarer founder Sarowitz and PR specialist Nathan, were dismissed.
The legal battle has been bruising on all sides.
Baldoni filed a countersuit against Lively in January 2025 accusing her of extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy, but it was dismissed after his legal team missed a filing deadline.
The New York Times also became embroiled in the dispute.
Other cast members were drawn in too, with Isabela Ferrer alleging in court documents that Baldoni’s team acted “inappropriately” after she was subpoenaed, and text messages released in court showing Jenny Slate calling Baldoni “the biggest clown.”
Book author Colleen Hoover, whose novel inspired the film, summed up the toll of the whole affair.
“It feels like a circus,” she told Elle. “Now it gives us PTSD to think about it.”
