A federal judge has dismissed Blake Lively's sexual harassment allegations against her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni, dramatically scaling back a case that has become one of Hollywood's most closely watched legal battles.
In a ruling issued Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims in Lively's lawsuit, including harassment, defamation and conspiracy. The remaining claims, focusing on retaliation, along with breach of contract and related allegations, will proceed to trial.
Baldoni's lawyers welcomed the ruling. “We are very pleased that the Court has dismissed all sexual harassment claims and all lawsuits brought against the defendants individually,” attorneys Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach said in a statement, referring to Baldoni and several of his collaborators, including executives at his production company, Wayfarer Studios, and members of his publicity team.
“These were very serious allegations and we thank the Court for its careful review of the facts, the law and the voluminous evidence,” they added. “What remains is a significantly limited case and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”
Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively's legal team, said the case will now move forward on retaliation claims, which they described as their central focus from the beginning.
“This case has always and will continue to focus on the devastating retaliation and extraordinary measures the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively's reputation because she stood up for safety on set, and that is the case that will go to trial,” McCawley said. “He looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shed light on this form of online retaliation.”
McCawley added that the dismissal of the harassment allegations was based on the court's determination that Lively was an independent contractor and not an employee, not a conclusion that the alleged conduct did not occur.
Thursday's ruling does not resolve the broader issues raised by the case, but it significantly narrows the ground ahead of a trial scheduled to begin in May. While the judge determined that Lively's harassment claims did not meet legal standards and will not go to a jury, he ruled that some of the underlying conduct could still be considered part of her retaliation claims.
The decision marks the latest twist in a sprawling dispute that has played out across multiple lawsuits and raised broader questions about workplace conduct, free speech and the limits of retaliation claims in the post-#MeToo era.
The legal fight dates back to the production and release of “It Ends With Us,” the 2024 romantic drama that grossed approximately $350 million worldwide but was overshadowed by reports of a breakup between its two leads.
In late 2024, Lively accused Baldoni of inappropriate behavior on set, including comments about her appearance and alleged retaliation after she raised concerns. Baldoni has denied the allegations, arguing that Lively sought to wrest creative control of the film and damage his reputation.
The case unfolded alongside a parallel legal offensive by Baldoni, who filed a sweeping $400 million countersuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, the New York Times and others of defamation and extortion. That suit was dismissed in June, with Liman finding the claims legally insufficient.
At the same time, Lively has framed the dispute as a test case for California's relatively new law that protects people who speak publicly about sexual misconduct. Advocacy groups including Equal Rights Advocates, Child USA and Sanctuary for Families have backed their efforts, warning that allowing retaliatory defamation lawsuits to proceed could prevent survivors from coming forward.
The two sides previously attempted mediation in February without reaching an agreement.
