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 has significantly narrowed Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, dismissing most of her sexual harassment claims in the case surrounding the 2024 film It Ends With Us. Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively, an independent contractor, lacked legal standing to pursue harassment claims under Title VII, and that Baldoni’s behavior—including kissing her forehead and making comments about her appearance—was contextually justified as part of the film’s intimate scenes. Only three claims remain: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation, with the trial set for May 18. Both parties’ legal teams have sharply differing interpretations of the ruling, with Baldoni’s lawyer calling the defendants ‘very good people’ and Lively’s team framing the dismissal as a procedural win. The case has exposed private exchanges, including leaked texts between Lively and celebrities like Taylor Swift, and highlights the film’s box office success overshadowed by public feuding. While Baldoni’s countersuit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds was also dismissed, the lingering allegations of a retaliatory campaign against Lively could still shape the trial’s outcome.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Federal judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of Blake Lively’s 13 claims against Justin Baldoni, including sexual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation (Guardian, ABC)
- Only three claims remain: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation (Guardian, ABC)
- Judge Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, so her sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act were invalid (Guardian, ABC)
- The case involves the 2024 film *It Ends With Us*, which grossed over $350 million globally (Guardian) and had a $50 million debut (ABC)
- Judge Liman cited Lively’s claims that Baldoni kissed her forehead, rubbed his face against her neck, and said ‘it smells good’ during filming (Guardian, ABC)
- The trial is scheduled for May 18, 2025 (Guardian, ABC)
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called the defendants ‘very good people’ and denied sexual harassment allegations (Guardian)
- Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024 (Guardian)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lively’s leaked texts to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were referenced, with Swift allegedly replying ‘I’ll do anything for you’ (Guardian)
- Lively’s lawyers described Baldoni as ‘consistently inappropriate’ with claims of unwanted comments about her appearance and weight (Guardian)
- Matthew Belloni, former entertainment lawyer, stated the case ‘hurts both of them’ due to prolonged mudslinging (Guardian)
- Liman dismissed Lively’s emotional distress claims in June 2024 (Guardian)
- Baldoni hired a crisis PR team after rumors of a rift surfaced post-release in August 2024 (Guardian)
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra (ABC)
- Baldoni allegedly pushed for a naked birth scene filmed without set closure, and discussed his past porn addiction (ABC)
- Liman cited Baldoni’s response to sexual harassment training as ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’ (ABC)
- Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion (ABC)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian reports Baldoni’s lawyer called the defendants ‘very good people’ and denied harassment, while Lively’s lawyer Mike Gottlieb called the ruling ‘about legal technicalities’ and implied Baldoni’s conduct was not exonerated (Guardian)
- Guardian states Lively’s claims included Baldoni ‘kissed, nuzzled and touched’ her without consent, but ABC frames these as potentially ‘acting in the scene’ or improvisation (Guardian vs ABC)
- Guardian mentions Lively’s texts to Swift and Affleck were unsealed, but ABC does not reference these leaked messages (Guardian vs ABC)
- Guardian reports Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim was dismissed in June 2024, while ABC does not specify the amount or timing of this dismissal (Guardian vs ABC)
- Guardian highlights mediation failure as a reason for the trial, but ABC does not mention mediation (Guardian vs ABC)
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