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 claims against Justin Baldoni in their high-profile legal battle over the 2024 film It Ends With Us. Judge Lewis Liman ruled that 10 of Lively’s 13 claims—including sexual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation—were invalid, citing her status as an independent contractor and the context of the film’s intimate scenes. Only three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation—will proceed to trial on 18 May, focusing on Lively’s allegations that Baldoni orchestrated a negative campaign against her. Both parties have framed the case differently: Lively’s legal team argues the dismissals were procedural, while Baldoni’s lawyers insist the ruling vindicates their conduct. The film, a domestic violence drama, grossed over $350 million but was overshadowed by public disputes, with leaked texts and on-set incidents adding to the controversy. The trial will now center on whether Baldoni and his team retaliated against Lively after she reportedly criticized the film’s direction.
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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 in a ruling on 18 April 2024
- The surviving claims are breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation, with a trial scheduled for 18 May 2024
- Judge Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor (not an employee) and thus could not bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Lively alleged Baldoni kissed her forehead, rubbed his face against her neck, and made comments like ‘it smells good’ during filming of It Ends With Us
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni was ‘acting in the scene’ and that the conduct was part of a slow-dancing scene between characters, not directed at Lively personally
- Baldoni’s lawyers stated the defendants are ‘very good people’ and denied sexual harassment claims, citing evidence presented in court
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million globally and was released in August 2024
- Lively’s leaked text messages to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were referenced in the Guardian’s coverage, with Swift allegedly replying ‘I’ll do anything for you’
- Judge Liman’s 152-page opinion analyzed the context of the film’s intimate scenes and creative process
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lively’s lawyers claimed Baldoni was ‘consistently inappropriate’ with her, including unwanted comments about her appearance and weight
- Lively’s text messages to Taylor Swift included calling Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ and seeking script rewrite advice
- Matthew Belloni (former entertainment lawyer) stated the case ‘hurts both of them’ due to prolonged mudslinging
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman described the defendants as ‘not afraid of the truth’ and emphasized evidence presented in court
- Lively’s attorney Mike Gottlieb called the court’s ruling on harassment claims a ‘legal technicality’ rather than an endorsement of defendants’ conduct
- Judge Liman cited Baldoni’s comment ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra, as part of the context
- The judge noted Baldoni allegedly rolled his eyes after being warned about the ‘pretty hot’ comment and replied ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’
- Baldoni pushed for a naked birth scene filmed over hours without set closure, and allegedly volunteered his past porn addiction to Lively
- Judge Liman stated Baldoni’s discussion of pornography might have crossed a line when he announced Lively had ‘never seen pornography’ to others on set
- The ruling allowed some sexual harassment allegations to be presented to a jury as evidence for retaliation claims
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian reports Lively’s lawyers claimed Baldoni ‘kissed, nuzzled and touched’ her without consent, while ABC frames these actions as ‘acting in the scene’ without explicit consent allegations
- The Guardian states Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim was dismissed in June 2024, but ABC does not specify the amount or timing of this dismissal
- The Guardian highlights Lively’s leaked texts to Swift and Affleck as part of the case’s public fallout, while ABC does not mention these texts
- ABC details Baldoni’s alleged ‘pretty hot’ comment and ‘sexual harassment training’ joke as part of the judge’s analysis, but the Guardian does not include these specifics
- The Guardian’s headline emphasizes Baldoni was accused of ‘sexual harassment, conspiracy and defamation,’ while ABC’s headline focuses solely on ‘sexual harassment claims’
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