Actor Blake Lively has responded after a federal judge dismissed the majority of claims she had filed against actor and director Justin Baldoni in an ongoing legal dispute connected to the film It Ends with Us.
The ruling was issued by Judge Lewis J. Liman on Thursday while considering Baldoni’s request to end the case before it proceeds to trial, which is currently scheduled for May 18. According to the decision, ten of the thirteen claims filed by Lively were dismissed by the court.
Among the claims that were dismissed were allegations of harassment, defamation and conspiracy. However, the judge allowed certain parts of the case to move forward. These include retaliation-related claims and breach of contract allegations, which will now be addressed during the trial.
Following the ruling, members of Lively’s legal team said the case will continue to focus on what they describe as retaliation after the actor raised concerns about safety on the film set.
Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively’s legal team, addressed the decision in a statement.
“This case has always been and will remain focused on the devasting [sic] retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial.”
She further added that the upcoming proceedings would give Lively the opportunity to speak publicly about the alleged retaliation she faced.
“For Blake Lively, the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted. She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight.”
McCawley also clarified why Lively’s sexual harassment claim would not proceed in court. She explained that the decision was not related to the merits of the allegation but rather a legal classification issue.
According to her statement, Lively’s “Sexual harassment” claim isn’t going forward, not because the defendants did nothing wrong, but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
Lively originally filed the lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024. The legal complaint alleged misconduct by the actor and director during the production of the film It Ends with Us.
With several claims dismissed and others still active, the case is now expected to move ahead toward trial, where the remaining allegations will be examined in court.
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