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 in retaliation—to proceed to trial on May 18. The ruling hinged on Lively’s status as an independent contractor rather than an employee, which barred her from bringing Title VII sexual harassment claims. Judge Lewis Liman noted that Baldoni’s behavior, including kissing Lively’s forehead and making comments like ‘it smells good,’ occurred during filming of the domestic violence drama It Ends With Us and was likely part of improvisation for the scene. Both sources agree the case has been marred by public feuding, with leaked texts and countersuits adding to the controversy. While Baldoni’s legal team denies wrongdoing and called the defendants ‘very good people,’ Lively’s attorneys argue the court’s dismissal was procedural rather than substantive. The trial will focus on whether Baldoni orchestrated a retaliatory campaign against Lively after the film’s release.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
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 were invalid (Guardian, ABC)
- The trial is scheduled for May 18, 2025 (Guardian, ABC)
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million globally and was released in August 2024 (Guardian, 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)
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called the defendants ‘very good people’ and denied sexual harassment claims (Guardian)
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024 (Guardian, ABC)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lively’s leaked texts to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were unsealed, showing her calling Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ (Guardian only)
- Lively’s lawyers claimed Baldoni was ‘consistently inappropriate’ with her, including unwanted comments about her appearance and weight (Guardian only)
- Matthew Belloni, former entertainment lawyer, stated the case ‘hurts both of them’ due to prolonged mudslinging (Guardian only)
- Lively’s attorney Mike Gottlieb said the court’s ruling was about legal technicalities, not an endorsement of defendants’ conduct (Guardian only)
- Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman claimed the defendants ‘were not afraid of the truth’ and presented evidence repeatedly (Guardian only)
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra (ABC only)
- Baldoni allegedly pushed for a naked birth scene filmed without set closure and volunteered his past porn addiction (ABC only)
- Judge Liman said Baldoni might have crossed a line by announcing Lively had ‘never seen pornography’ to others on set (ABC only)
- Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion (ABC only)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian reports Baldoni’s lawyer Freedman claims defendants are ‘very good people’ who did not engage in sexual harassment, while ABC does not include this direct quote from Freedman
- Guardian mentions Lively’s leaked texts to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck as part of the case context, but ABC does not reference these texts
- Guardian states Lively’s claims of Baldoni’s inappropriate comments about her appearance and weight were dismissed, while ABC does not mention this specific detail
- Guardian reports Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim was dismissed in June 2024, but ABC does not specify the exact amount or timing of this dismissal
- ABC includes Judge Liman’s specific ruling that Baldoni’s ‘pretty hot’ comment and porn addiction disclosure may have crossed a line, while Guardian does not detail these specific incidents
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