Justin Baldoni may have lost a major legal battle, but his legal fight against Blake Lively is far from over.
As previously reported, the Jane the Virgin star suffered a significant blow when a federal judge dismissed his $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. Baldoni had filed the suit in January, claiming the group orchestrated a smear campaign against him following sexual harassment allegations made by Lively during the production of It Ends With Us.
The allegations emerged in December 2024, when Lively accused Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film, of inappropriate behavior and deliberate attempts to damage her public image. Baldoni has strongly denied the claims and has, in turn, accused Lively of fabricating the accusations to harm his career.
Despite the setback, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, remained defiant in a statement released Tuesday, June 10. He argued that the dismissal was not a final verdict and emphasized that the court had allowed them to amend four of the seven claims.
“Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false,” Freedman said, via Variety. “While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, it invited us to amend others, which will present additional evidence and refined allegations.”
He told TMZ the dismissal was merely a step in a longer legal journey and that Baldoni remains committed to clearing his name.
Meanwhile, Blake Lively appeared to celebrate the ruling with a confident return to the spotlight. On Monday night, she made her first public appearance since the lawsuit's dismissal, attending the Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner in New York City. She walked the red carpet in a white crochet dress, paired with Louboutin heels and Chanel accessories, beaming for the cameras as if a weight had been lifted.
According to sources cited by The Blast, Lively was “overcome with emotion” after the judge’s decision. "She cried with relief,” one insider revealed. “It was a huge weight off her shoulders.”
Her legal team echoed that sentiment, calling the ruling a “total victory” and slamming Baldoni’s claims as baseless.
“The court saw right through Mr. Baldoni’s false narrative,” Lively’s representatives said in a statement. “We now look forward to seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages, and punitive damages from Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties responsible for this abusive litigation.”
The legal battle is not over. Judge Lewis J. Liman gave Baldoni and his team until June 23 to file an amended complaint, limited to claims of tortious interference with contract and breach of implied covenant. Defamation claims, however, will not be revived without new and compelling evidence.
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Following the ruling, Lively addressed the situation directly on her Instagram Story on Monday, June 9. She described the lawsuit as a painful experience and expressed solidarity with other women facing similar challenges.
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us,” she wrote. “While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back.”
Lively went on to thank her supporters, both friends and strangers. PEOPLE detailed how she's reaffirmed her commitment to advocacy for women, highlighting organizations such as the California Women’s Law Center and Women’s Justice NOW.
The case has already seen its share of controversy. In May, a judge rejected a letter submitted by Baldoni’s legal team that included claims involving Lively’s private messages with Taylor Swift. Judge Liman called the letter “improper” and “irrelevant,” warning that it risked creating media chaos by implying an attempt to “extort” another celebrity.
Whether Baldoni’s amended lawsuit will gain traction in court remains to be seen. For now, the legal drama between the two stars continues to unfold.