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’s conduct was part of the film’s intimate scenes and that she was an independent contractor. Only three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation—will proceed to trial on May 18, 2025. Judge Lewis Liman found Baldoni’s behavior was within creative bounds for a domestic abuse drama, though he noted some comments, like calling Lively’s appearance ‘pretty hot,’ may have crossed lines. Both parties have accused each other of misconduct, with Baldoni’s legal team calling Lively’s claims baseless and her attorney arguing the ruling was procedural. The case has overshadowed the film’s success, which grossed over $350 million, and exposed private messages between Lively and celebrities like Taylor Swift. While most claims were dismissed, the remaining allegations focus on alleged retaliatory campaigns against Lively after their professional rift.
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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, exposing a lace bra (ABC)
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million worldwide (Guardian, ABC) and had a $50 million debut (ABC)
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024 (ABC, Guardian)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, described defendants as ‘very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged’ (Guardian)
- Freedman stated the defendants were ‘not afraid of the truth’ and presented evidence repeatedly (Guardian)
- Mike Gottlieb, Lively’s attorney, said the court’s ruling was about legal technicalities, not an endorsement of defendants’ conduct (Guardian)
- The Guardian references unsealed text messages between Lively and Taylor Swift, where Lively called Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ (Guardian)
- The Guardian notes mediation failed last month before the trial (Guardian)
- Judge Liman wrote that Baldoni’s conduct ‘was not so far beyond what might reasonably be expected to take place between two characters during a slow dancing scene’ (ABC)
- ABC details Baldoni’s alleged comment about Lively’s lack of pornography exposure being shared on set, which Judge Liman called potentially inappropriate (ABC)
- ABC mentions Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion, which was dismissed last June (ABC)
- ABC notes a brief phone conference was held after Judge Liman’s ruling to discuss jury selection (ABC)
- The Guardian highlights Lively’s private messages to Ben Affleck and Taylor Swift regarding Baldoni’s behavior (Guardian)
- Former entertainment lawyer Matthew Belloni commented that the case ‘hurts both of them’ due to prolonged litigation (Guardian)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian (Article 1) states Freedman said ‘the defendants were not afraid of the truth,’ while ABC does not mention this specific quote from Freedman
- ABC describes Baldoni’s comment as ‘pretty hot’ after Lively removed her jacket, but Guardian does not specify this exact phrasing
- Guardian (Article 3) mentions Lively’s text to Swift asking for a screenplay rewrite, but ABC does not reference this detail
- Guardian (Article 1) notes a 152-page opinion by Liman, while ABC does not specify the length of the ruling
- ABC states Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim was dismissed last June, but Guardian (Article 3) does not mention the dollar amount in this context
Source Articles
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