Judge throws out Justin Baldoni’s $400million lawsuit against Blake Lively
A judge has dismissed a $400million countersuit that Justin Baldoni filed against his This Ends with Us co-star, Blake Lively, in January. Baldoni had levelled the filing against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, alleging extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
The pair initially entered into a lengthy legal dispute in December last year, when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and a smear campaign. The judge also scrapped the actor’s $250million libel suit against The New York Times, which published an explosive story about Lively’s allegations.
Judge Lewis J Liman threw out Baldoni’s case in its entirety, stating that Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment were legally protected and immune from his countersuit. Judge Liman also ruled that The New York Times was covered by litigation privilege.
This is a major setback for Baldoni, who has been fighting to reclaim the narrative that has gripped the Hollywood news cycle since tensions arose during the August press tour for the film. However, the judge is allowing Baldoni to amend and refile his claims regarding contract interference before June 23rd.
Lively’s attorneys issued a statement following Judge Liman’s ruling, saying (via Variety), “Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.”
They added that they “look forward” to seeking attorneys’ fees, damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni and his associates. They commented, “As we have said from day one, this lawsuit was a sham, and the court saw right through it.”
Lively’s original suit, which is still pending, alleges that Baldoni sexually harassed her on the set of It Ends with Us, which he directed and co-starred in, as well as retaliation through a coordinated smear campaign. In its December article, The Times did a deep dive into Baldoni’s association with a crisis PR firm, suggesting that the actor orchestrated a social media campaign to tarnish Lively’s reputation.
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