Judge dismisses Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims in lawsuit against Justin Baldoni
Manhattan Judge Dismisses Blake Lively’s Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Justin Baldoni
In a recent ruling, a U.S. district court in Manhattan dismissed Blake Lively’s sexual harassment allegations against co-star Justin Baldoni. The decision, made by District Judge Lewis Liman on Thursday, was based on jurisdictional grounds, leaving parts of the case intact for further proceedings.
Lively alleged that Baldoni engaged in sexual harassment during the production of their 2024 romantic film *It Ends With Us*. The 38-year-old actress, married to Ryan Reynolds, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others, seeking damages for harassment, defamation, privacy violations, and breaches of federal and state civil rights laws.
She asserted that the defendants cultivated a sexually charged environment on set and conspired to suppress her voice. The film featured Lively and Baldoni, who served as its director. Baldoni, who maintains his innocence, contended that he promptly responded to his co-star’s concerns and justified hiring a crisis management firm after Lively’s public criticisms.
Judge Notes Jurisdictional Challenges in Lively’s Case
In his ruling, Judge Liman noted that Lively’s case was based on California law, though the alleged misconduct occurred outside the state’s jurisdiction. He indicated that Lively could still pursue a retaliation claim against Wayfarer Studios, along with contract and aiding-and-abetting claims against multiple parties.
The conflict escalated into public view in December 2024 when Lively submitted a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department, leading to the initiation of her lawsuit. The New York Times covered the incident in an article titled
“’We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.”
Baldoni had previously filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, claiming they damaged his reputation, but Judge Liman rejected that case in June. The judge also dismissed the claim against The New York Times. Google users can see more from their preferred sources in search results — click here to make yours Sky News.