Blake Lively responds to legal victory over Justin Baldoni as a judge dismissed the $400 million countersuit filed by Baldoni, involving claims against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times. Shortly after this decision, Lively spoke out publicly, highlighting her intent to continue advocating for women who lack the means to defend themselves in similar legal battles.
Lively Shares Her Reflections After Court Ruling
Following the judge‘s dismissal of Justin Baldoni’s legal action, Lively took to Instagram Stories on June 9 to acknowledge the personal toll of facing a lawsuit she described as retaliatory. Amidst the high-profile legal struggle, she emphasized her gratitude and support for others undergoing similar situations, while pointing out the resources that many victims lack in such confrontations. She reiterated her commitment to supporting every woman’s right to be heard and shared avenues for support and advocacy, listing organizations dedicated to women’s rights, protection against domestic violence, and employment law.
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,”
—Blake Lively, Actress
“While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back.”
—Blake Lively, Actress
“With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me,”
—Blake Lively, Actress
“Many of you I know. Many of you I don’t. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you.”
—Blake Lively, Actress
Background of the Legal Dispute and Allegations
The drama between Lively and Baldoni originated after the release of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us.” On December 20, 2024, Lively filed a California Civil Rights Department complaint against Baldoni and numerous Wayfarer associates. The complaint accused Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios and several key executives and representatives of orchestrating a public relations and digital campaign in retaliation for Lively’s concerns about their alleged misconduct on set. Lively claimed that both she and other cast and crew members faced what she described as invasive and sexually inappropriate actions by Baldoni and Jamey Heath, leading to significant harm to her career and personal well-being.
Media Coverage and Alleged Smear Campaigns
The following day, The New York Times reported on Lively’s complaint, detailing alleged communication threads that supported her claims of a coordinated smear campaign against her. Lively was quoted by the Times expressing hope that her legal efforts would expose what she called “sinister retaliatory tactics” and protect others who might face similar retaliation.
“I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct,”
—Blake Lively, Actress
“and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
—Blake Lively, Actress
Response From Baldoni and the Wayfarer Legal Team
After Lively’s complaint gained media attention, Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, Wayfarer, and others, released a statement strongly rejecting Lively’s allegations. He labeled the accusations as “shameful” and “categorically false,” asserting that her actions and remarks during the film’s promotion attracted negative public scrutiny.
“It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were observed publicly, in real time and unedited, which allowed for the internet to generate their own views and opinions,”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios
“These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios
“The representatives of Wayfarer Studios still did nothing proactive nor retaliated, and only responded to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting and monitored social activity,”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios
“What is pointedly missing from the cherry-picked correspondence is the evidence that there were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario planning and private correspondence to strategize which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios
Talent Agency Drops Baldoni Following Allegations
On December 21, 2024, William Morris Endeavor (WME), Baldoni’s talent agency, cut ties with him following The New York Times story. CEO Ari Emanuel confirmed the move. WME clarified that neither Ryan Reynolds, who is also represented by the agency, nor Blake Lively influenced this decision, dismissing allegations that Reynolds had exerted any pressure at a film premiere. The agency issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter explicitly denying claims described in Baldoni’s subsequent lawsuit.
“In Baldoni’s filing there is a claim that Reynolds pressured Baldoni’s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere. This is not true,”
—WME, Statement
“Baldoni’s former representative was not at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere nor was there any pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.”
—WME, Statement
Support and Backlash From the Entertainment Community
In the wake of Lively’s complaint, a number of high-profile colleagues and castmates voiced public support for her. Colleen Hoover, author of the source novel, expressed her appreciation and confidence in Lively’s character. Jenny Slate, a castmate, voiced her endorsement and concern over the allegations Lively raised, emphasizing the seriousness of the issues brought forth.
“@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met,”
—Colleen Hoover, Author
“Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
—Colleen Hoover, Author
“As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation,”
—Jenny Slate, Actress
“Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.”
—Jenny Slate, Actress
“What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening,”
—Jenny Slate, Actress
“I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
—Jenny Slate, Actress
“For the love of God read this.”
—Brandon Sklenar, Actor
Further Fallout: Podcast Departures and New Lawsuits
Shortly after the public fallout, Liz Plank announced her resignation as co-host from The Man Enough Podcast, which she hosted with Baldoni and Heath. Plank did not cite Lively’s lawsuit as her reason but did express gratitude to her audience while hinting at challenging circumstances behind her departure.
“I’m writing to you today to let you know that I have had my representatives inform Wayfarer that I will no longer be co-hosting The Man Enough podcast,”
—Liz Plank, Former Podcast Co-host
“Thank you for trusting me with your hearts and stories, for holding space for mine, and for making this show what it was. I will miss you, the listeners, so much. I love what this community created together with every fiber of my being, and that’s because of you.”
—Liz Plank, Former Podcast Co-host
“As this chapter closed for me, I remain committed to the values we’ve built together,”
—Liz Plank, Former Podcast Co-host
“Thank you for being here, for trusting me, and for being by my side for the last four years. We all deserve better, and I know that together, we can create it.”
—Liz Plank, Former Podcast Co-host
“I will have more to share soon as I continue to process everything that has happened. In the meantime, I will continue to support everyone who calls out injustice and holds the people standing in their way accountable.”
—Liz Plank, Former Podcast Co-host
Conflict Grows: Publicist Lawsuit and Text Message Evidence
On December 24, 2024, Stephanie Jones, Baldoni’s former publicist, and Jonesworks LLC, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, current publicist Abel, and crisis specialist Nathan. The complaint outlined a scheme to attack Jones professionally and personally, undermining her reputation and business.
“Defendants Abel and Nathan secretly conspired for months to publicly and privately attack Jones and Jonesworks, to breach multiple contracts and induce contractual breaches, and to steal clients and business prospects,”
—Jonesworks LLC Lawsuit
“Behind Jones’s back, they secretly coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to implement an aggressive media smear campaign against Baldoni’s film co-star, and then used the crisis as an opportunity to drive a wedge between Jones and Baldoni, and to publicly pin blame for this smear campaign on Jones—when Jones had no knowledge or involvement in it.”
—Jonesworks LLC Lawsuit
“continue to point the finger falsely at Jones now that their own misconduct is coming to light,”
—Jonesworks LLC Lawsuit
“repudiated their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and rebuffed Jones’s efforts to settle this dispute privately in arbitration.”
—Jonesworks LLC Lawsuit
Multiple Lawsuits Circle Around The New York Times
The end of December saw Baldoni, Wayfarer, and associated individuals suing The New York Times for libel and other charges. The plaintiffs argued the paper’s reporting was biased, drawn almost exclusively from Lively’s account, and ignored evidence in their favor. For its part, The Times maintained that its reporting was thorough and based extensively on authentic documents, including full text messages and emails referenced in its story.
“Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative,”
—Lawsuit by Baldoni, Wayfarer & Others
“lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”
—Lawsuit by Baldoni, Wayfarer & Others
“it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign.”
—Lawsuit by Baldoni, Wayfarer & Others
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,”
—The New York Times, Statement
“Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
—The New York Times, Statement
Escalation: Lawsuits and Legal Strategies Multiply
December 31, 2024, marked another escalation as Lively launched her own lawsuit in New York against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, and others. Her suit listed claims mirroring those brought before in her administrative complaint, including retaliation and sexual harassment. In response, Baldoni and his team’s separate lawsuit against The New York Times prompted Lively’s attorneys to issue a statement refuting claims that her complaint was just a legal tactic rather than a genuine grievance. Her team insisted that their client’s federal and administrative filings stood independently and reflected real events.
“nothing in this lawsuit changes anything about the claims,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“This lawsuit is based on the obviously false premise that Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was a ruse based on a choice ‘not to file a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer,’ and that ‘litigation was never her ultimate goal,’”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed by Ms. Lively earlier today, that frame of reference for the Wayfarer lawsuit is false.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
Statements of Continuing Legal Threats From Baldoni’s Team
The legal offensive did not cease as Baldoni’s side announced intentions for further lawsuits, denouncing other “bad actors” and affirming open legal fronts.
“There are other bad actors involved,”
—Court Documents Filed by Baldoni’s Legal Team
“and make no mistake—this will not be the last lawsuit.”
—Court Documents Filed by Baldoni’s Legal Team
Criticism of Media Portrayals Spreads
By early January 2025, tensions spilled over to the public perception of the related parties. Social media users speculated about references to Baldoni in Ryan Reynolds’ film “Deadpool & Wolverine”. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, criticized any such lampooning and took a serious stance on handling sexual harassment accusations. He implored for formal processes to be followed instead of public mockery.
“What I make of that is that if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make fun of Justin Baldoni,”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
“You don’t make fun of the situation. You take it very seriously. You file HR complaints. You raise the issue and you follow a legal process. What you don’t do is mock the person and turn it into a joke.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
Lively’s Legal Team Responds to Ongoing Hostility
Lively’s representation contended that their client faced further attacks following her filing, emphasizing that her lawsuit dealt with substantiated claims, not a simple “he said/she said” matter or creative differences. They warned of common tactics to diminish such allegations, such as victim-blaming and offender-as-victim reversals. Her team stressed the importance of seeing allegations for what they are and prosecuting them in court rather than fighting in the media.
“Ms. Lively’s federal litigation before the Southern District of New York involves serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, backed by concrete facts,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“This is not a ‘feud’ arising from ‘creative differences’ or a ‘he said/she said’ situation. As alleged in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and as we will prove in litigation, Wayfarer and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set. And their response to the lawsuit has been to launch more attacks against Ms. Lively since her filing.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“While we go through the legal process, we urge everyone to remember that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in every workplace and in every industry,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“A classic tactic to distract from allegations of this type of misconduct is to ‘blame the victim’ by suggesting that they invited the conduct, brought it on themselves, misunderstood the intentions, or even lied. Another classic tactic is to reverse the victim and offender, and suggest that the offender is actually the victim.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“these concepts normalize and trivialize allegations of serious misconduct.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“media statements are not a defense”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
Retaliatory Accusations Intensify
Baldoni’s lawyer countered these statements, alleging that Lively and her team were responsible for creating a media storm by selectively sharing information with The New York Times. He further promised to reveal substantial evidence supporting his client’s claims, including texts and records purporting to demonstrate Lively’s tactics.
“It is painfully ironic that Blake Lively is accusing Justin Baldoni of weaponizing the media when her own team orchestrated this vicious attack by sending the New York Times grossly edited documents prior to even filing the complaint.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
“We are releasing all of the evidence which will show a pattern of bullying and threats to take over the movie,”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
“None of this will come as a surprise because consistent with her past behavior Blake Lively used other people to communicate those threats and bully her way to get whatever she wanted. We have all the receipts and more.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
Fresh Legal Filings and Accusations Emerge in January
Mid-January 2025 saw Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, Abel, Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC jointly suing Lively, Reynolds, Sloane, and Sloane’s firm. They charged the defendants with defamation, civil extortion, and interference with contractual relations, repeatedly accusing Lively of orchestrating a campaign to damage Baldoni’s reputation and seize creative control of the film.
“to put out a blockbuster news report as devastating as it was false.”
—Court Document Filed by Baldoni et al.
“Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
Lively’s Lawyers Label Latest Lawsuit “Desperate”
Lively’s attorneys pushed back, calling the lawsuit
“another chapter in the abuser playbook,”
and accusing Baldoni of employing recognized tactics to flip the script and discredit a woman coming forward about harassment. They argued that Sony, not Lively herself, requested her to oversee a version of the movie, and that the actual cast and crew had their own independent issues with Baldoni.
“another chapter in the abuser playbook,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“The evidence will show, that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
Behind-the-Scenes Video Becomes a Flashpoint
On January 21, 2025, Baldoni’s attorneys released behind-the-scenes footage from the “It Ends With Us” set, declaring that it disproved Lively’s characterization of events. Their statement emphasized professionalism between the actors, claiming mutual respect in the depicted scenes.
“The scene in question was designed to show the two characters falling in love and longing to be close to one another,”
—Baldoni’s Attorneys, Statement
“Both actors are clearly behaving well within the scope of the scene and with mutual respect and professionalism.”
—Baldoni’s Attorneys, Statement
However, Lively’s legal representatives argued the video actually matched her allegations and showed her discomfort was clear. They indicated the footage displayed unscripted interaction for which no consent had been given in advance.
“corroborates, to the letter, what Ms. Lively described,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“every moment of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni with no discussion or consent in advance.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“The video shows Ms. Lively leaning away and repeatedly asking for the characters to just talk,”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
“Any woman who has been inappropriately touched in the workplace will recognize Ms. Lively’s discomfort.”
—Lively’s Lawyers, Statement
Efforts to Limit Public Comments Amid Legal Proceedings
On January 22, 2025, Lively and Reynolds requested a gag order on Baldoni’s lead counsel, seeking to reduce prejudicial comments ahead of the formal trial process. The couple asked the presiding judge to consider these measures as legal matters progressed.
Release of a Private Voice Memo Sheds New Light
A seven-minute voice memo, purportedly sent by Baldoni to Lively during the production, was made public on January 27, 2025. In this message, Baldoni referenced the script changes Lively had initiated and meetings involving Reynolds and Taylor Swift, subsequently apologizing for his initial reaction to the revised work.
“We should all have friends like that aside from the fact that they’re two of the most creative people on the planet,”
—Justin Baldoni, Actor/Director
“The three of you guys together, it’s unbelievable.”
—Justin Baldoni, Actor/Director
“I f–ked up. One thing you should know about me is that I will admit and apologize when I fail.”
—Justin Baldoni, Actor/Director
Court Sets Date for Lively vs. Baldoni
On January 27, 2025, the court scheduled the trial between Lively and Baldoni for March 9, 2026, marking the next major date for the ongoing litigation.
Baldoni Expands Suit to Include The New York Times
Three days after the trial was set, Baldoni’s legal team amended their federal counterclaim to include The New York Times as a defendant, reiterating allegations that Lively and her co-defendants collaborated in sharing misleading stories with the press and that the publication misrepresented internal communications.
“feeding falsehoods to the New York Times.”
—Baldoni’s Legal Team, Court Filing
“‘cherry picked’ and altered communications stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced to mislead.”
—Baldoni’s Legal Team, Court Filing
Baldoni’s Team Launches Informational Website
In early February, Baldoni’s team published a website containing details from their amended legal filings as well as screenshots of text conversations involving Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni. This action followed Freedman’s earlier statement that all such communications would become public, aiming to offer “the truth” for viewers to independently assess the claims and counterclaims.
“We want the truth to be out there,”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
“We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
Lively Files Amended Complaint Highlighting New Witness Claims
On February 18, 2025, Lively’s attorneys submitted an amended complaint, stating other women from the “It Ends With Us” set came forward with their accounts of discomfort over Baldoni’s behavior. The revised court documents claimed that issues with Baldoni were acknowledged in writing long before the public fallout, but did not reveal the witnesses’ identities due to ongoing retaliation and a charged environment.
“Ms. Lively was not alone in complaining about Mr. Baldoni,”
—Lively’s Amended Complaint
“The experiences of Ms. Lively and others were documented at the time they occurred starting in May of 2023. Importantly, and contrary to the entire narrative Defendants have invented, Mr. Baldoni acknowledged the complaints in writing at the time. He knew that women other than Ms. Lively also were uncomfortable and had complained about his behavior.”
—Lively’s Amended Complaint
“dangerous climate of threats, harassment, and intimidation fueled by the Defendants’ retaliation campaign.”
—Lively’s Amended Complaint
Freedman argued in response that the complaint was based on hearsay and that the new witnesses, whose identities were withheld, no longer supported Lively’s position.
“clearly no longer willing to come forward or publicly support her claims.”
—Bryan Freedman, Attorney
Publicist Seeks Dismissal From Lawsuit
Leslie Sloane, publicist to both Lively and Reynolds, filed a motion for dismissal after being accused by Baldoni of spreading damaging stories and participating in a smear operation. Her legal counsel argued Sloane was only named in the lawsuit as a diversion tactic intending to pull focus from the main allegations against Baldoni and his associates.
“smoke and mirrors exercise to distract from”
—Sloane’s Attorney
Lively Recruits CIA Veteran for Legal Communications
On February 28, 2025, Lively added former CIA Deputy Chief of Staff Nick Shapiro to her advisory team, focusing on legal communications and overall strategy as her sexual harassment and retaliation suit moved forward in federal court.
“advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York,”
—Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Lively’s Litigation Team Member
The New York Times Requests Removal From Lawsuit
That same day, The New York Times sought dismissal from the $400 million lawsuit, arguing that Baldoni’s case painted a one-sided story and that the paper had no part in the dispute between the other parties.
“one-sided tale that has garnered plenty of headlines”
—The New York Times Court Filing
“The Times does not belong in this dispute.”
—The New York Times Court Filing
Judge Halts Discovery in Baldoni’s Massive Lawsuit
On March 4, 2025, Judge Lewis J. Liman paused discovery in Baldoni’s $400 million case following The Times’ motion for dismissal. The judge cited substantial grounds for the paper’s removal from the case and explained that the stay would not result in unfair prejudice against Baldoni’s team. The Times welcomed the ruling, reiterating the importance of press freedom and expressing relief that discovery would not continue while a potentially successful dismissal was pending.
“a strong showing that its motion to dismiss is likely to succeed on the merits.”
—Judge Lewis J. Liman, Statement
“unfairly prejudiced by a stay while the Court decides the pending motion.”
—Judge Lewis J. Liman, Statement
“We appreciate the court’s decision today, which recognizes the important First Amendment values at stake here. The court has stopped Mr. Baldoni from burdening The Times with discovery requests in a case that should never have been brought against.”
—The New York Times, Spokesperson
Ongoing Battle Over Women’s Rights and Media Narratives
The legal saga involving Lively, Baldoni, and other high-profile figures continues to expose rifts not only within the Hollywood community but across the broader conversation concerning women’s rights, workplace protections, and the responsibility of media organizations. Lively’s legal rallies have positioned her as an advocate for women facing hostile retaliation and insufficient resources, while Baldoni’s camp insists on their innocence and accuses Lively of manipulating public opinion through selective leaks and false narratives.
The judicial rulings have repeatedly emphasized stringent standards for claims of harassment, retaliation, and defamation, with judges focusing on the distinction between protected expression and actionable conduct. As both sides prepare for their next court dates—most notably March 9, 2026—the case continues to generate intense scrutiny of Hollywood’s workplace practices, the use of public relations warfare, and the stakes involved when allegations of sexual misconduct surface in the entertainment industry.
