Blake Lively faced a significant setback in her widely publicized sexual harassment lawsuit against former co-star and director Justin Baldoni after a federal judge dismissed the majority of her claims. On Thursday, April 2, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that 10 out of the 13 allegations, including harassment, defamation, and conspiracy, would not move forward.
However, the judge permitted a narrower set of claims to proceed, specifically breach of contract and two allegations related to retaliation. These remaining claims are scheduled to be heard at trial starting May 18. The lawsuit, initiated in December 2024, accuses Baldoni and other defendants of sexual harassment and orchestrating a retaliatory smear campaign connected to the film It Ends With Us. Lively is seeking damages exceeding $160 million.
Justin Baldoni, 42, has denied all accusations, maintaining that any conflicts were creative differences during filming. He had previously filed a countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, demanding $400 million, but that case was dismissed in 2025.
Legal representatives for Lively emphasized that her claims arose from inappropriate behavior on set, including the introduction of sexualized content not present in the original script, as well as retaliation after she refused to take photos with Baldoni. The judge’s decision significantly narrows the scope of the dispute, marking a pivotal moment in one of Hollywood’s most closely followed legal battles in recent years.
