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 in their high-profile It Ends With Us case, leaving only three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding in retaliation—for trial on May 18. Judge Lewis Liman ruled Lively could not pursue sexual harassment claims because she was an independent contractor, not an employee, and the alleged conduct occurred during filming of a romantic drama. The judge noted Baldoni’s actions were part of character improvisation, not harassment, and dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation counterclaim. The case has exposed leaked private messages between Lively and celebrities like Taylor Swift, revealing tensions over the film’s production. While Lively’s lawyers argue the dismissals were procedural, Baldoni’s team insists the defendants are innocent. The trial will focus on Lively’s allegations of a retaliatory campaign against her after the film’s release, which overshadowed its $350 million box office success.
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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) and thus could not bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- 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
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni was ‘acting in the scene’ and that the conduct was part of a slow-dancing scene between characters, not directed at Lively personally
- Baldoni’s lawyers described the defendants as ‘very good people’ who did not engage in sexual harassment as alleged
- Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation claim against Lively and Ryan Reynolds in June 2024
- It Ends With Us grossed over $350 million worldwide and was released in August 2024
- Lively’s leaked text messages to Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck were unsealed as part of the litigation
- Judge Liman’s 152-page opinion cited Lively’s independent contractor status and New Jersey (not California) as key reasons for dismissing claims
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lively’s lawyers claimed Baldoni was ‘consistently inappropriate’ with her, including kissing, nuzzling, and touching without consent
- Lively accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her with unwanted comments about her appearance and weight during filming
- Lively’s text to Taylor Swift called Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie’ and asked for screenplay rewrite thoughts
- 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’
- Baldoni and Jamey Heath hired a crisis PR team after rumors of a rift surfaced post-release
- Lively’s attorney Mike Gottlieb said the court’s ruling was about legal technicalities, not an endorsement of defendants’ conduct
- Judge Liman cited Baldoni’s comment ‘pretty hot’ after asking Lively to remove her jacket, exposing a lace bra, as part of the context
- Baldoni allegedly rolled his eyes and said ‘Sorry, I missed the sexual harassment training’ after being warned about the comment
- Judge Liman noted Baldoni pushed for a naked birth scene filmed over hours without set closure, and Baldoni allegedly volunteered he had been addicted to pornography
- Lively said she had never seen pornography, and Baldoni announced this to others on set, which Judge Liman called potentially crossing a line
- The judge stated it ‘may be fair grounds for an author or director to discuss personal experiences related to sex as part of the creative process’
- Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios countersued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion, which was dismissed by Judge Liman in June 2024
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian reports Lively’s text to Swift called Baldoni the ‘doofus director of my movie,’ but ABC does not mention this specific quote
- The Guardian states Lively’s claims included Baldoni ‘kissed, nuzzled and touched’ her without consent, while ABC focuses more on Baldoni’s alleged comments and actions during filming
- The Guardian highlights Baldoni’s lawyers calling the defendants ‘very good people’ in a statement to AP, but ABC does not reference this exact phrasing
- The Guardian mentions Lively’s claims of Baldoni making unwanted comments about her appearance and weight, which ABC does not explicitly detail
- The Guardian reports Baldoni and Jamey Heath hired a crisis PR team to ‘smear her reputation,’ while ABC does not attribute this motive directly to Baldoni’s actions
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