The judge has dismissed Justin Bardoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Bardoni alleged emotional distress, claiming that the actress incorrectly accused him to salvage her reputation after some negative publicity surrounding the “It Ends With Us” film press tour.
The judge’s ruling noted that Bardoni’s team, referred to as the Wayfarer Party, did not successfully argue that Lively was accountable for any statements beyond her own public complaints. Interestingly, the Wayfarer Party did assert that Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane had made further accusations of sexual misconduct against Bardoni. However, the judge stated there was insufficient evidence suggesting any of them had acted in a way that would make them liable for allegations of harm under applicable laws. As a result, the judge mentioned that any revised complaints would need to be thoroughly dismissed.
Previously, Lively had taken steps to disavow claims of emotional distress directed at Bardoni. Bardoni’s allegations included various claims such as sexual harassment, retaliation, and negligence, filed initially with the California Civil Rights Office and later in federal court.
In his own lawsuit from January, Bardoni stated that Lively’s accusations were misguided attempts to mend her image following the fallout from the film’s promotional activities. His legal team contended that there was no indication of any malicious smear campaign but rather an effort to address the issue of sexual harassment directly.
Lively’s representation sought to have Bardoni’s lawsuit dismissed earlier this year, asserting that there was nothing substantive in his amended complaint that would constitute a valid legal claim, characterizing it instead as an effort to deflect attention from serious issues surrounding sexual harassment.
The judge expressed that this ruling was a complete victory for Lively, emphasizing the unfounded nature of Bardoni’s claims and mentioning intentions to seek reimbursement for legal fees and potential punitive damages against Bardoni and associated parties for what was termed an abusive lawsuit.
Bardoni’s legal team was given until June 23 to submit an amended complaint, but they are restricted to adjusting claims solely related to unlawful interference regarding contracts.
Interestingly, both parties have previously indicated that they were open to resolving disputes outside of court, noting in a February letter that mediation and discovery procedures seemed unnecessary in this context.
