Federal judge dismisses most of Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us case
Consensus Summary
A federal judge dismissed the majority of Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni, leaving only three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding/abetting retaliation—for trial on May 18. The ruling hinged on Lively’s status as an independent contractor, which barred her from bringing Title VII sexual harassment claims. Judge Lewis Liman found that Baldoni’s alleged behavior—such as leaning in, kissing her forehead, and making comments like ‘it smells good’—was part of the film’s intimate scenes and not harassment. Baldoni’s lawyer called the defendants ‘very good people,’ while Lively’s attorney argued the ruling was based on legal technicalities. The case stems from the 2024 film It Ends With Us, which became a global hit despite ongoing tensions between the stars. Additional allegations include Baldoni’s comments about Lively’s appearance, requests for nude scenes, and discussions about pornography, though these were not central to the judge’s dismissal. The trial will now focus on whether Baldoni and his team retaliated against Lively after their public rift.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims in Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, including sexual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation (Guardian, ABC)
- Only three claims remain: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding/abetting retaliation (Guardian, ABC)
- Blake Lively sued Justin Baldoni in December 2023 alleging sexual harassment during filming of It Ends With Us (Guardian, ABC)
- Judge Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, so her sexual harassment claims under Title VII were invalid (Guardian, ABC)
- The trial is scheduled for May 18, 2024 (Guardian, ABC)
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million worldwide (Guardian) and had a $50 million US debut (ABC)
- Judge Liman cited Lively’s claims of Baldoni leaning in, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face on her neck, and saying ‘it smells good’ as part of the film’s intimate scenes (Guardian, ABC)
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called defendants ‘very good people’ who did not engage in alleged sexual harassment (Guardian)
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2023 (Guardian, ABC)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman stated the defendants were ‘not afraid of the truth’ and presented evidence repeatedly (Guardian)
- Lively’s attorney Mike Gottlieb said the court’s ruling was about legal technicalities, not an endorsement of defendants’ conduct (Guardian)
- Lively’s leaked text messages to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were referenced, with Swift allegedly replying ‘I’ll do anything for you’ (Guardian)
- Judge Liman’s 152-page opinion explicitly analyzed the context of the film’s intimate scenes (Guardian)
- Lively’s claims included Baldoni’s alleged comments about her appearance and weight (Guardian)
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra (ABC)
- Baldoni allegedly rolled his eyes and responded ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’ after being warned (ABC)
- Baldoni allegedly volunteered he had previously been addicted to pornography, and Lively said she had never seen pornography (ABC)
- Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion (ABC)
- Judge Liman cited a birth scene filmed naked over several hours without set closure as part of the allegations (ABC)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian reports Lively’s claims included Baldoni’s comments about her appearance and weight, but ABC does not mention this detail
- The Guardian states Lively’s text messages to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were unsealed, while ABC does not reference this
- The Guardian highlights Baldoni’s lawyer calling the defendants ‘very good people’ in multiple statements, but ABC does not include this quote
- The Guardian notes Lively’s attorney said the court’s ruling was about legal technicalities, while ABC does not reference this perspective
- The Guardian mentions a 152-page opinion by Judge Liman, but ABC does not specify the length of the ruling
Source Articles
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