Federal judge dismisses most of Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni
Consensus Summary
A federal judge dismissed the majority of Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni, narrowing her lawsuit to breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation. The ruling, issued by Judge Lewis Liman, found Lively was an independent contractor—not an employee—so her Title VII claims were invalid. Liman noted that Baldoni’s alleged physical contact during filming of *It Ends With Us* occurred in the context of a slow-dance scene, suggesting it was part of acting rather than harassment. The case stems from Lively’s allegations of unwanted advances, including Baldoni kissing her forehead and making comments like ‘it smells good,’ while Baldoni’s team denies wrongdoing. The film, a domestic violence drama, grossed over $350 million but was overshadowed by public disputes. Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds was also dismissed earlier. The trial, focusing on retaliation, begins May 18. Both sides have released statements framing the case as a battle over truth and reputation, with leaked texts and production incidents adding to the controversy.
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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, so her sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act were invalid
- 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*
- Baldoni’s lawyers stated the defendants were ‘very good people’ and denied sexual harassment claims, calling the allegations ‘not true’
- The film *It Ends With Us* grossed over $350 million worldwide and was released in August 2024
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024
- Lively’s text messages to Taylor Swift (unsealed) called Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ and sought script rewrite advice
- Baldoni and Jamey Heath hired a crisis PR team after rumors of conflict surfaced post-release
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 unsealed texts to Ben Affleck were referenced as part of the litigation context
- Matthew Belloni (former entertainment lawyer) stated the case ‘hurts both of them’ due to prolonged mudslinging
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman said the defendants ‘were not afraid of the truth’ and presented evidence repeatedly
- Liman’s 152-page opinion was cited as explicitly noting Baldoni was ‘acting in the scene’ for the alleged physical contact
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra
- Baldoni allegedly rolled his eyes and replied ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’ after being warned about comments
- The judge cited a birth scene filmed naked over hours without set closure as part of Lively’s allegations
- Baldoni allegedly volunteered his past pornography addiction to Lively, who claimed she had never seen pornography
- Liman stated Baldoni’s comment about Lively’s lack of porn exposure ‘might have crossed the line’ when shared on set
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian reports Lively’s lawyers called Baldoni ‘consistently inappropriate’ with unwanted comments, but ABC does not mention this phrasing
- The Guardian states Lively’s text to Swift included a request for a screenplay rewrite, while ABC does not reference this detail
- The Guardian highlights Baldoni’s lawyer saying the defendants ‘were not afraid of the truth,’ but ABC omits this exact phrasing
- ABC describes Baldoni allegedly saying ‘pretty hot’ after Lively removed her jacket, but the Guardian does not mention this specific incident
- The Guardian notes Lively’s emotional distress claims were dismissed in June 2024, while ABC does not explicitly state the timeline for this dismissal
Source Articles
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