Blake Lively issues lengthy statement after judge drops sexual harrassment claims against Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively has shared a lengthy statement after a judge dismissed sexual harassment claims she made against her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni.
Ten of the 13 allegations against Baldoni, including harassment and defamation allegations, were all dismissed on April 2nd. However, the other claims will still be heard in court as the case progresses.
The three claims left in place against Baldoni referred to breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation.
As such, these claims will now go to a civil trial, set to take place in New York on May 18th.
Taking to Instagram Stories on April 3rd, following the dismissal of the majority of the claims, Lively shared with her 41 million followers, “I’m grateful for the Court’s ruling which allows the heart of my case to be presented to jury next month, and for the ability to tell my story in full at trial, for my own sake, but also for those who don’t have the same opportunity to… many of whom I have known and loved deeply in my life, and the countless I’ll never known.”
She then stated that a lawsuit was “the last thing I wanted in my life”, before explaining that it was filed due to the alleged “pervasive RETALIATION I faced, and continue to, for privately and professionally asking for a safe working environment for myself and others.”
Lively then described the media firestorm surrounding the lawsuit as a “digital soap opera”, which she said is “irresponsible” and “by design: to keep you from seeing yourselves in my story”, before adding, “physical pain from digital violence is very real.”
The Town star continued, “It is abuse. And it’s everywhere. Not just in the news, but in your communities and schools.”
Lively’s statement then touched upon the broader impact of “digital warfare”, warning her followers to “pay attention to all the ways we can be manipulated online”, before citing studies on the role of technology on gender-based violence.
She added, “I couldn’t begin to stand up if not for the countless who’ve gone before me – and the masses who are still around us all – creating laws, social change, sparking conversations, rallying, working privately and publicly, risking and sometimes losing everything for the safety of others in all spaces.”
Lively concluded her statement by thanking her fans for their support, insisting, “I know it’s a privilege to be able to stand up. I will not waste it. Your support keeps me going.”
The case stretches back to 2024, when Lively sued Baldoni for harassment and accused him of running a smear campaign on the set of It Ends With Us.
In response, Baldoni launched a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively. This was dismissed last June by a judge.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, celebrated the judge’s decision to dismiss ten of the 13 claims against his client, telling the Associated Press, “It is gratifying to see that the court’s ruling confirms what the legal team believed from day one.”
The claims were dismissed due to the environment in which the alleged incidents occurred, with Judge Liman writing in a 152-page document (per The Guardian), “Creative artists, no less than comedy room writers, must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment.”
Liman added, “There is no question that this conduct might support a hostile work environment claim if it occurred on the factory floor or in the executive suite. But in all sexual harassment cases, the court must carefully consider the social context in which particular behaviour occurs and is experienced by its target.”
The remaining claims will be heard in court next month.
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