NEW YORK: A federal judge in Manhattan has formally dismissed actor and director Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against his ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star Blake Lively, ruling that Baldoni failed to meet a court deadline to continue his claim, according to US media reports.
US District Court Judge Lewis Liman entered a final judgment, stating that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, had missed the October 17 deadline to file an amended complaint.
The judge said he had contacted all parties earlier in October to warn them that he would conclude the case if no action was taken.
Only Lively responded, requesting that her petition for legal fees remain active, which the judge granted. Her original sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni remains ongoing.
Origins of legal dispute
The dispute stems from Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign during the filming of It Ends With Us, which he directed and co-produced.
Lively’s complaint, filed with California’s Civil Rights Department, alleged inappropriate conduct and retaliation on set.
In response, Baldoni filed a $400 million countersuit in January 2025 against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times, alleging civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
Court found defamation claims insufficient
Judge Liman had dismissed Baldoni’s lawsuit in June but allowed him the option to refile with more evidence.
In his earlier ruling, the judge wrote that Baldoni and his company had “not adequately alleged that Lively’s threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions.”
He also said the plaintiffs failed to show that Lively was responsible for any statements outside of those made in her formal legal complaint, which are protected under law.
The judge similarly dismissed Baldoni’s $250 million libel claim against The New York Times, saying the newspaper did not act with “actual malice” when it reported on the allegations.
“The alleged facts indicate that the Times reviewed the available evidence and reported, perhaps in a dramatised manner, what it believed to have happened,” Liman wrote.
Lawyers react as case concludes
After the June dismissal, Lively’s legal team called the ruling “a total victory and a complete vindication.”
Baldoni’s lawyer, however, said Lively’s “predictable declaration of victory is false,” insisting that the facts were on their side and that they would “march forward.”
Despite that claim, Baldoni’s team did not file the amended lawsuit by the deadline. His representatives and Wayfarer Studios have not commented on the latest ruling.
Lively’s case still moving forward
Lively’s own lawsuit against Baldoni remains active, with a trial date set for March 2026. According to reports, the upcoming case will focus on her allegations of harassment and retaliation.
Judge Liman has directed both sides to prepare for trial proceedings, while also reviewing motions related to Lively’s request for reimbursement of legal fees.
Baldoni and Lively co-starred in the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us, adapted from Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel.
The film, produced by Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios, was released to commercial success but later became mired in controversy following the public fallout between its two leading figures.
