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, leaving only breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation for trial on May 18. Judge Lewis Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor and that Baldoni’s behavior—including kissing her forehead and making comments about her appearance—was part of acting improvisation for the domestic violence film It Ends With Us. Baldoni’s legal team called the defendants ‘very good people’ and emphasized their truthful conduct, while Lively’s lawyers argue the case hinges on a retaliatory smear campaign. The $350 million film’s release was overshadowed by public disputes, with unsealed texts revealing Lively’s frustration with Baldoni. The trial will focus on whether Baldoni orchestrated negative publicity after Lively’s claims surfaced, with both sides preparing for a contentious legal battle.
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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 remaining claims in Lively’s lawsuit are breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation
- Judge Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor (not an employee) and thus could not bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- The trial is scheduled for 18 May 2024 in Manhattan, New York
- Justin Baldoni’s lawyers described the defendants as ‘very good people’ who did not engage in sexual harassment as alleged
- Judge Liman cited Lively’s claims that Baldoni kissed her forehead, rubbed his face against her neck, and said ‘it smells good’ during filming
- Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds was dismissed by Judge Liman in June 2023
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million worldwide and was released in August 2024
- Lively’s lawyers allege Baldoni launched a retaliatory campaign sharing negative stories about her online
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lively’s text messages to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were unsealed, showing her calling Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ and asking for screenplay rewrite feedback
- Swift allegedly replied: ‘I’ll do anything for you!’
- Matthew Belloni (former entertainment lawyer) stated: ‘The longer this goes on and the more mud that’s slung at each other, it really hurts both of them’
- Lively’s lawyers claimed Baldoni was ‘consistently inappropriate’ with her, including unwanted comments about her appearance and weight
- Lively’s two claims of emotional distress against Baldoni were dismissed by Liman in June 2024
- Baldoni hired a crisis PR team after rumors of a rift surfaced post-release of It Ends With Us
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni allegedly said ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra, and rolled his eyes when warned about inappropriate comments
- Baldoni allegedly pushed for a birth scene to be filmed naked without the set being closed to non-essential personnel
- Baldoni allegedly volunteered that he had previously been addicted to pornography, which Lively said she had never seen
- Judge Liman wrote that Baldoni’s conduct ‘may be fair grounds for an author or a director to discuss personal experiences’ but could have crossed the line when sharing Lively’s pornography claim publicly
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian reports Lively’s emotional distress claims were dismissed in June 2024, but ABC does not mention this timeline or dismissal
- The Guardian states Baldoni’s $400m defamation claim was dismissed in June 2023, while ABC says it was dismissed last June (no year specified)
- ABC describes Baldoni’s alleged ‘pretty hot’ comment as a ‘warning’ that he rolled his eyes to, but the Guardian does not mention this specific exchange
- The Guardian highlights Lively’s text messages to Swift and Affleck as part of the case, while ABC does not reference these messages
- The Guardian notes mediation failed last month before the trial, but ABC does not mention mediation
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