Legal Drama: Lawsuit Dismissed Against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

In a surprising turn of events on Monday, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Justin Bardoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Bardoni’s complaint, filed in January, had claimed that Reynolds was attempting to sabotage his career, alleging that he “hijacked” Bardoni’s films, as reported by CNN.

According to sources, Lively, Reynolds, and their spokesperson, Leslie Sloan, sought to have the case dismissed, which the judge has granted. This included three claims outlined in the motion to dismiss that were brought forth by the New York Times.

Bardoni had also initiated a separate $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times, claiming inaccuracies and misrepresentations in an article about him.

The judge indicated that if Bardoni was interested in pursuing his claims further, he had the option to file an amended complaint by June 23, addressing specific allegations of unlawful interference regarding Lively’s contract and potential breaches.

Notably, the judge remarked that Bardoni had not sufficiently linked Lively to any statements beyond her own, as documented through complaints obtained by the California Civil Rights Department.

Bardoni had previously made serious claims regarding sexual harassment back in December 2024. The matter escalated with additional accusations from Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloan, suggesting that Bardoni was part of a smear campaign, according to Page Six.

Judge Liman emphasized that no sufficient evidence had emerged to suggest that Reynolds, Sloan, or the Times could be deemed liable for defamation based on the available information.

In response to the ruling, Lively’s legal team celebrated the dismissal as a “perfect victory,” asserting that the whole $400 million claim was baseless. They characterized it as an “abusive lawsuit” and indicated plans to seek legal fees and other damages moving forward.