Blake Lively, 37, issues statement as she breaks silence on Justin Baldoni lawsuit dismissal amid It Ends with Us legal row
Blake Lively has spoken out after a federal judge in New York dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against the actress and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, on Monday, marking a significant development in the heated legal battle between the It Ends With Us co-stars.
Judge Lewis J Liman granted the motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Baldoni, 41, and Wayfarer that accused Lively, 37, and Reynolds, 48, of extortion and defamation, according to court documents obtained by US media outlets.
The judge ruled that Baldoni and his production firm had “not adequately alleged that Lively’s threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions.”
Baldoni’s separate $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times was also dismissed in the same ruling.
Lively broke her silence hours after the dismissal, posting a lengthy statement on her Instagram story addressing the legal victory.
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,” the 37-year-old actress wrote.
She noted that whilst she had successfully defeated the suit filed against her, “so many don’t have the resources to fight back.”
The Gossip Girl star expressed she was “more resolved than ever” to “stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves.”
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Lively concluded her post by expressing love and gratitude, writing: “With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me.
“Many of you I know. Many of you I don’t. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you.”
Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, characterised the ruling as 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 Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.”
In their statement, the legal team asserted: “As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it.”
The lawyers indicated they would pursue further action, stating they “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.”
A source close to Lively and Reynolds told US Weekly exclusively that the couple “feel relief and vindication” following the judge’s decision.
The legal dispute originated in December 2024 when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department alleging that Baldoni had created a hostile work environment on the set of their film and subsequently attempted to tarnish her reputation with the help of his PR team.
Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and claimed he had made persistent enquiries about her sex life with husband Ryan Reynolds between scenes.
Baldoni denied all allegations and filed his countersuit in January, arguing that Lively had “stolen” the 2024 romantic drama from him by issuing production-oriented demands and threatening to “attack” him in the press if he did not comply.
The actor also claimed that Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist had worked with The New York Times to “spread a false narrative that Baldoni committed sexual misconduct towards” her.
Whilst the lawsuit was dismissed, Judge Liman stated that Baldoni and his legal team could still amend their claims for breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract.
The deadline for filing these amended claims has been set for June 23.
The source close to Lively and Reynolds added: “Blake is feeling a sense of pride that she continued to use her voice and stand strong and the counter attacks will now no longer be given more air.”
In her Instagram statement, Lively had begun by referencing her recent advocacy work, writing: “Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organisations united in defending women’s rights to speak up for their safety.”
She also shared a list of charitable groups and organisations dedicated to fighting for women’s rights, domestic violence protection groups, and employment law firms.