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, narrowing her lawsuit to breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation. Judge Lewis Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, making her claims under Title VII invalid. The case stems from the 2024 film *It Ends With Us*, where Lively alleged Baldoni made unwanted advances—including kissing her forehead and comments like ‘it smells good’—during filming. Liman dismissed these as part of acting improvisation, noting the film’s intimate scenes. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion, but their claims were previously dismissed. The trial is set for 18 May, with Lively focusing on allegations of a retaliatory smear campaign. While both sides dispute the severity of the conduct, the case has overshadowed the film’s success, which grossed over $350 million globally. Legal technicalities, such as Lively’s contractor status, have shaped the outcome, leaving her to prove retaliatory behavior rather than harassment.
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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 (Guardian, ABC, Guardian)
- Only three claims remain: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation (Guardian, ABC, Guardian)
- Judge Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, so her sexual harassment claims under Title VII were invalid (ABC, Guardian)
- The film *It Ends With Us* (2024) grossed over $350 million worldwide (Guardian) and had a $50 million US debut (ABC)
- Judge Liman cited Lively’s claims of Baldoni’s conduct—including kissing her forehead, rubbing his face on her neck, and comments like ‘it smells good’—but ruled these were part of acting improvisation (Guardian, ABC, Guardian)
- Trial is scheduled for 18 May 2024 in Manhattan (Guardian, ABC, Guardian)
- Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion in 2024, but their claims were dismissed in June 2023 (ABC, Guardian)
- Lively’s lawyers allege Baldoni launched a retaliatory campaign to smear her online after the film’s release (Guardian, Guardian)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lively’s private messages to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were unsealed, showing her calling Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ (Guardian)
- Former lawyer Matthew Belloni stated the case ‘hurts both of them’ due to prolonged litigation (Guardian)
- Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman called defendants ‘very good people’ and claimed they ‘have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged’ (Guardian)
- Lively’s attorney Mike Gottlieb criticized Freedman’s ‘exoneration based on legal technicalities’ (Guardian)
- Judge Liman’s ruling included a detailed description of Lively’s allegations: Baldoni ‘leaned in and gestured as if intending to kiss her,’ ‘put his thumb to her mouth,’ and ‘flicked her lower lip’ (ABC)
- Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra, and rolled his eyes when told it was inappropriate (ABC)
- Baldoni allegedly volunteered he had been addicted to pornography, which Lively said she had never seen (ABC)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian (Article 1) states Lively’s emotional distress claims were dismissed in June 2024, but ABC does not mention this timeline or dismissal
- Guardian (Article 3) reports Baldoni’s lawyer claims defendants ‘have not engaged in sexual harassment,’ while Lively’s attorney Gottlieb dismisses this as ‘exoneration based on legal technicalities’
- ABC notes Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after Lively removed her jacket, but Guardian articles do not reference this specific incident
- Guardian (Article 1) mentions Lively’s text messages to Swift and Affleck were unsealed in June 2024, while ABC does not mention this detail
- Guardian (Article 3) states the judge’s 152-page opinion was released on Thursday (18 April), but ABC does not specify the opinion’s length or exact release date
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