Justin Baldoni isn’t letting the dismissal of his $400M lawsuit bring his legal fight to a halt. After Blake Lively’s controversial defamation case got the legal boot, many expected Baldoni to take a quiet step back. Instead, the Jane the Virgin star’s doubling down, fueled by a tidal wave of public support that has turned this legal drama into something much bigger.
He’s standing tall, unshaken, and making it clear, this is about principle. While the courtroom chapter might be closed, Baldoni’s fight is far from over. And judging by his tone, he’s just getting warmed up.
$400M down, but Justin Baldoni’s not backing off from fighting Blake Lively
Justin Baldoni isn’t backing down just yet. A judge tossed out his $400 million defamation lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star, Blake Lively, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. But the actor-director is staying in the ring.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said in a fiery statement to Variety,
Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling…While the court dismissed the defamation related claims, the court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations.
This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as ‘untraceable’ because they cannot prove what never happened.
While defamation claims were dismissed, the court gave Baldoni the green light to rework four of seven claims. Translation: Round two is coming, with “additional evidence and refined allegations.”
The lawsuit, which accused Lively and Reynolds of a smear campaign, retaliation, and extortion, was struck down on Monday by Judge Lewis J. Liman. He ruled that Lively’s sexual harassment claims were legally protected, ending that chapter for now. Baldoni’s suit against The New York Times also got the axe. Freedman added,
Most importantly, Ms. Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking. …
He also thanked internet sleuths and fans “for their discernment and integrity.” On the other side, Lively’s legal team clapped back hard. “This ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham,” they said, now seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and even punitive damages against Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios.
Meanwhile, Lively’s separate federal case against Baldoni, alleging s*xual harassment and retaliation, heads to trial in March 2026. So, with lawsuits flying and both sides digging in, this It Ends With Us drama is far from over, at least off-screen.
Blake Lively’s surprise legal move sparks off-screen drama in Justin Baldoni feud
Blake Lively pulled a surprise twist in her legal clash with It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni. The actress is now trying to drop her emotional distress claims without prejudice (per NYpost).
That move, flagged in new court docs, came right after Baldoni’s team demanded her medical records. But his lawyers aren’t buying the sudden switch. “She wants to refuse disclosure and still keep the right to refile,” the filing argues. “She can’t have it both ways.”
Baldoni’s team is now pushing for the claims to be dropped with prejudice to prevent a comeback later. Otherwise, they say, she needs to hand over her mental health documents, doctor-patient privilege or not. Lively’s camp called it a “press stunt,” saying they’re simply “streamlining” ahead of the trial. The legal tug-of-war continues, and the drama’s heating up off-screen faster than Gossip Girl reruns.
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