New York Times seeks to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s $250 million lawsuit amid Blake Lively battle
New York Times has attempted to dismiss a defamation lawsuit by Justin Baldoni regarding the publication’s reporting on the It Ends With Us director’s feud with Blake Lively.
In December, the New York Times published an extensive article on Lively’s complaints against Baldoni, which the filmmaker criticised. Baldoni alleges that the New York Times worked closely with Lively’s PR team to coordinate an attack on his character and is seeking $250 million in damages. The article in question features private conversations between Baldoni, his publicist Jennifer Abel and crisis public relations specialist Melissa Nathan.
On December 31st, Baldoni filed an initial libel lawsuit against the New York Times for its reporting on Lively’s claims that he and his production company, Wayfarer, had embarked on a coordinated smear campaign to discredit her.
Hours later, also on December 31st, Lively filed a federal lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer, and several others, making her allegations about the director’s behaviour on set official. In the suit, she alleges that he made repeated comments about her body and the bodies of other women working on the film, referred to his sexual history, and allegedly pressured Lively to share details of her own sexual history.
Now, on February 28th, the New York Times filed a motion in a New York federal court seeking to dismiss his claims against them. They argue that their reporting are true and fair characterisations of what allegedly occurred on set.
Their filing states: “Throughout their blunderbuss complaint, the Wayfarer Parties seek to drag The Times into their larger feud with Lively. But the only thing The Times is, in fact, alleged to have done is engage in newsgathering and publishing an Article and Video about the Wayfarer/Lively dispute.”
They also stated that the writer behind the article contacted Baldoni and his team who were asked to respond to the claims made. Upon receiving a response, she included part of a 307-word statement from Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, in the article and a link to the full denial. It’s alleged that Baldoni’s team didn’t ask for more time to respond or additional information.
Additionally, from a legal standpoint, the New York Times claims to be protected by fair report privilege, which prevents publications from breaking libel laws if they accurately report official documents. The article is said to have relied upon a filing from the California Civil Rights Department.
In response to the New York Times’s request to dismiss the lawsuit, Lively’s spokesperson stated, “In its motion to dismiss, the New York Times correctly calls out Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit for what it is: a shameless PR document that has no business in a court of law.”
They added: “For years, Baldoni urged men to listen to and believe women. But when a woman spoke out about his behavior, he and his billionaire backer Steve Sorowitz used a ‘social media combat plan’ to scorch earth and try to ‘bury’ and ‘destroy’ her, along with the media who reports on it. These bullying tactics will not survive in court, and everyone should see their meritless claims for what they are.”
As it stands, the case involving Lively and Baldoni is set to head to trial in March 2026.
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