Legal Battle Between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively Dismissed

On June 9, 2025, a significant legal outcome occurred as Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds was dismissed. Judge Lewis J. Liman not only dismissed Baldoni’s claims but also his $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times.

The ongoing conflict began with Lively’s allegations against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation during their collaboration on the film “It Ends with Us.” In a twist, Baldoni countered with accusations that Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane were involved in a scheme to harm his reputation by falsely accusing him of harassment to gain control over the film’s production.

Baldoni didn’t stop there; he also took legal action against the New York Times. He claimed that the publication’s reporting on Lively’s lawsuit painted him in an unfairly negative light, potentially harming his career. However, Judge Liman dismissed those arguments on Monday.

“The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statement other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged,” Judge Liman noted.

Additionally, while the Wayfarer Parties claimed that Reynolds and Sloane made other damaging statements, the judge indicated they failed to demonstrate any doubts about the truth of those statements, which is necessary for a defamation claim.

Following the ruling, Lively’s legal team expressed satisfaction, calling the decision a “total victory and a complete vindication.” They characterized Baldoni’s lawsuit as baseless, stating, “We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages.”

Interestingly, Judge Liman did leave the door open for Baldoni’s lawyers; they can amend claims related to breach of implied covenant and tortious interference by June 23rd. Recent reports suggested that Baldoni’s case might be on shaky ground, particularly because it largely relies on a text message from journalist James Vituscka. Vituscka previously claimed that Lively’s publicist indicated Lively had been “sexually assaulted” by Baldoni, a statement the reporter has since withdrawn.

According to information from the outlet People, Vituscka submitted a declaration stating that Sloane never made those claims about Baldoni. He expressed regret, clarifying that his wording was incorrect.

“In those text messages, my use of the phrase ‘sexually assaulted’ was a mistake. … I regret this error,” he explained. “This phrase was not in reference to any conversation that I had with Leslie Sloane.”