Justin Baldoni’s lawsuits against Blake Lively and The New York Times were dismissed by a judge in June, marking the official closure of these legal disputes. The dismissal relates directly to what has become known as the Blake Lively lawsuit dismissal, ending Baldoni’s attempt to pursue $400 million in damages.
According to TMZ’s report on October 31, Baldoni’s legal team chose not to appeal Judge Lewis J. Liman’s earlier ruling, which threw out his countersuit seeking damages from Lively, as well as his defamation case against The New York Times. This dismissal came after Baldoni accused the media outlet of selectively using information from Lively’s lawyers in their 2024 article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.
Court Closes Parallel Lawsuits Involving Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times
Recent court documents confirm the final judgment, officially closing the lawsuits involving Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, The New York Times, and Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios. These rulings dismiss claims of extortion and defamation originally brought forward by Baldoni against Lively and Reynolds. However, the story continues elsewhere, as Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni remains active with a trial set for March 2026.
Judge Liman’s decision also rejected Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, which was linked to coverage of Lively’s allegations against him.
Legal Teams React to Dismissals with Continued Intensity
Lively’s legal representatives hailed the dismissal as a decisive victory for their client. In a statement issued in June, her lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb described the lawsuit as a sham from the beginning.
“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,”
Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, Lively’s lawyers said.
“We 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.”
On social media, Blake Lively underscored her commitment to supporting women, sharing her own painful experience of facing retaliatory lawsuits.
“Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women’s rights to speak up for their safety,”
Lively said.
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us.”
Despite the setback, Judge Liman allowed Baldoni and his legal team until June 23 to amend certain claims related to breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract. Still, no amended lawsuit was filed by this deadline.
Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman contested Lively’s declarations of victory and vowed to continue pursuing the case.
“Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling,”
Freedman explained.
“While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations. This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.”
Freedman later clarified that rather than revising the dismissed claims, Baldoni’s team focused their efforts on countering the original sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Lively.
“The Court’s decision on the motion to dismiss has no effect whatsoever on the truth that there was no harassment nor any smear campaign, and it does not in any way affect our vigorous defense against Ms. Lively’s claims,”
Freedman told People magazine.
“Discovery is proceeding and we are confident that we will prevail against these factually baseless accusations. Instead of revising the existing claims, our clients will be pursuing additional legal options that are available to us.”
Origin of the Legal Disputes and Upcoming Trial Dates
The legal conflict began in December 2024 when Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment during the production of their film It Ends With Us. Lively also accused Baldoni’s team of attempting a smear campaign against her.
Baldoni has denied all such allegations, responding with a countersuit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds for extortion and defamation, claims both defendants have firmly rejected. The sexual harassment case filed by Lively is scheduled to proceed to trial in March 2026.
The New York Times’ Separate Legal Action Against Baldoni
In addition to the cases involving Lively and Reynolds, The New York Times filed its own lawsuit in October against Baldoni and his company Wayfarer Studios. The Times argued that Baldoni violated New York’s anti-SLAPP statute, which protects free speech by preventing lawsuits meant to intimidate and drain the resources of publishers through baseless litigation.
The media organization is seeking compensatory and punitive damages amounting to at least $150,000, along with additional fees potentially. On behalf of Baldoni, Bryan Freedman responded defiantly to the Times’ claims, emphasizing their commitment to fight.
“We refuse to cave to power brokers even in the face of seemingly impossible odds,”
Freedman declared.
“We continue to stand tall for a reason: the pursuit of truth, in the face of giants.”
Ongoing Legal Battles and Their Broader Implications
Although the lawsuits brought by Justin Baldoni against Blake Lively and The New York Times have been dismissed, the legal confrontation between the parties is far from over. The sexual harassment suit filed by Lively against Baldoni remains active, with a trial date looming in 2026. This case continues to draw significant attention due to the high-profile nature of those involved and the serious allegations made.
The dismissal of the $400 million countersuit and defamation claims represents a setback for Baldoni, but his legal team’s assertion that they will pursue all available options foreshadows prolonged contention. Meanwhile, Blake Lively’s public stance reinforces ongoing support for victims who speak out against misconduct.
This saga underscores the complexities of navigating accusations, defamation claims, and media narratives in Hollywood, pointing toward a continued clash of legal strategies and personal reputations over the coming years.
