Judge Dismisses Most Claims in Blake Lively–Baldoni Lawsuit
Judge Dismisses Most Claims in Blake Lively–Baldoni Lawsuit
A federal judge trims Blake Lively’s sexual harassment and defamation claims against Justin Baldoni and partners, leaving only retaliation and contract issues ahead of the May trial.
A federal judge has significantly pared down Blake Lively’s high-profile lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and associated parties, three months after it was filed and six weeks before trial. In a 152-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman struck out 10 of Lively’s 13 claims, leaving only her retaliation and breach-of-contract claims against the movie’s producers and an aiding-and-abetting-retaliation claim against The Agency Group PR. A trial in Manhattan federal court is scheduled to begin May 18.
Lively’s suit, filed December 31, 2024, claimed she endured “disturbing” sexual harassment during It Ends With Us’ production and alleged a coordinated smear campaign online after she spoke out. The judge’s decision narrows the focus to whether the remaining claims can survive a trial, with the prior harassment and defamation assertions largely dismissed.
One notable aspect of the ruling involves a slow-dance scene in which Baldoni improvised a close, whispered interaction with Lively. The judge found that, even if the conduct occurred, it did not demonstrate a hostile work environment under the social-context standard applied in harassment cases, particularly given the scene’s context within a film production.
The remaining viable claims target retaliation and breach of contract by the producers, as well as an aiding-and-abetting retaliation claim against The Agency Group PR. The narrowing of claims keeps the courtroom spotlight on whether Lively’s allegations of retaliation after she spoke out can be proven at trial. It Ends With Us is the central project tied to the dispute, but the focus now centers more on contractual and retaliatory elements than on the broader harassment and defamation charges.
