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, director of It Ends With Us, ruling that Lively was an independent contractor and the conduct occurred in the context of filming intimate scenes. Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of 13 claims, including harassment and defamation, but three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation—will proceed to trial on May 18. Lively alleged Baldoni engaged in unwanted physical contact and comments, but the judge ruled the behavior was part of acting improvisation. The case highlights tensions between the two stars, with Lively’s private messages to celebrities like Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck unsealed during litigation. Baldoni’s team denies wrongdoing, while Lively’s lawyers argue the dismissals were due to legal technicalities rather than merit. The film itself was a box office success, grossing over $350 million, but the legal battle overshadowed its release.
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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, Guardian)
- Three claims remain: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation (Guardian, ABC, Guardian)
- Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, so her sexual harassment claims under Title VII were dismissed (ABC, Guardian)
- Judge Liman ruled that Justin Baldoni’s conduct was ‘acting in the scene’ for It Ends With Us, citing intimate scenes between Lively and Baldoni’s characters (Guardian, ABC)
- The trial is scheduled for May 18, 2025 (Guardian, ABC)
- Blake Lively alleged Baldoni kissed her forehead, rubbed his face against her neck, and said ‘it smells good’ during filming (Guardian, ABC)
- Judge Liman cited Baldoni’s comment ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket as part of the case (ABC)
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million worldwide (Guardian, ABC) and exceeded box office expectations with a $50 million debut (ABC)
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024 (ABC, Guardian)
- Blake Lively’s lawyers described Baldoni’s team as ‘very good people’ who denied sexual harassment (Guardian)
- Blake Lively’s text messages to Taylor Swift were unsealed, showing her calling Baldoni the ‘doofus director’ (Guardian)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, stated the defendants were ‘not afraid of the truth’ and presented evidence repeatedly (Guardian)
- Judge Liman’s 152-page opinion explicitly detailed Lively’s allegations of Baldoni’s conduct, including thumb-to-mouth gestures and lip-flicking (Guardian)
- Mike Gottlieb, Lively’s attorney, said the court’s ruling was about legal technicalities, not an endorsement of defendants’ conduct (Guardian)
- The Guardian reached out to Baldoni’s lawyers for additional comment but did not include their response (Guardian)
- Blake Lively’s private messages to Ben Affleck were referenced alongside those to Taylor Swift (Guardian)
- Former entertainment lawyer Matthew Belloni commented that the prolonged litigation ‘hurts both of them’ (Guardian)
- Mediation failed last month before the trial (Guardian)
- Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion, which was dismissed last June (ABC)
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni’s alleged response to sexual harassment training: ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’ (ABC)
- The judge cited Baldoni’s discussion of his past pornography addiction and Lively’s alleged claim of never having seen pornography (ABC)
- The judge ruled Baldoni’s conduct ‘directed to Lively’s character rather than to Lively herself’ in the context of the film (ABC)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian (Article 1) states Bryan Freedman described defendants as ‘very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment,’ while Guardian (Article 3) does not include this exact phrasing from Freedman
- ABC mentions Baldoni’s alleged response ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’ as part of the judge’s ruling, but Guardian articles do not reference this specific quote
- Guardian (Article 1) reports Baldoni’s lawyer said the defendants ‘were not afraid of the truth,’ while ABC does not mention this phrasing
- ABC states the film grossed $50 million at debut and over $350 million worldwide, while Guardian (Article 3) only mentions over $350 million without specifying the debut figure
- Guardian (Article 1) notes the trial is based on retaliatory campaign claims, while ABC emphasizes the judge’s ruling that Baldoni’s conduct was ‘directed to Lively’s character’ as a key factor in dismissing harassment claims
Source Articles
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