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 in the It Ends With Us case, leaving only three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting—to proceed to trial on May 18. Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively, an independent contractor, lacked legal standing to file sexual harassment claims under Title VII, citing the film’s intimate scenes as context for Baldoni’s behavior. The judge dismissed allegations of unwanted kisses, caresses, and comments, stating they were part of acting improvisation. Baldoni’s legal team defended him as ‘very good people’ who never engaged in harassment, while Lively’s attorney argued the ruling was based on legal technicalities. The case has exposed leaked texts between Lively and celebrities like Taylor Swift, adding to the public scrutiny. Both sides have countersued, with Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds also dismissed. The trial will focus on alleged retaliatory campaigns and contract disputes, with the film’s box office success overshadowed by ongoing litigation.
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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 and abetting in 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 debut (ABC)
- Judge Liman cited Lively’s claims of Baldoni leaning in, kissing her forehead, rubbing his face against her neck, and saying ‘it smells good’ as part of the film’s intimate scenes (Guardian, ABC)
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman described defendants as ‘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 detailed Lively’s claims of Baldoni’s conduct during filming, including flicking her lower lip and caressing her (Guardian)
- Baldoni and Jamey Heath hired a crisis PR team after rumors of a rift surfaced post-release (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 volunteered his past porn addiction (ABC)
- Baldoni’s countersuit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion was dismissed last June (ABC)
- A brief phone conference was held after the ruling to discuss jury selection (ABC)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian reports Baldoni’s lawyer described defendants as ‘very good people’ who did not engage in sexual harassment, while ABC does not include this exact phrasing
- Guardian mentions Lively’s leaked texts to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck, but ABC does not reference these texts
- Guardian states Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim was dismissed in June 2023, while ABC states it was dismissed in June 2024 (likely a typo in ABC)
- Guardian notes the film’s release was in August 2024, while ABC does not specify the release month but confirms it exceeded box office expectations
- Guardian reports Baldoni’s lawyer said the defendants were ‘not afraid of the truth’ and presented evidence repeatedly, while ABC does not mention this statement
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