Blake Lively Scores Major Legal Victory as Justin Baldoni Drops Lawsuit

In a decisive win for Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, Justin Baldoni has officially dropped his lawsuit against the couple, bringing a dramatic chapter of their ongoing legal saga to a close. Baldoni’s lawyer confirmed to People magazine that they do not intend to refile the suit, opting instead to “pursue additional legal options” outside of court.

Lively’s representatives swiftly hailed the development as a complete victory. A spokesperson told JustJared.com, “The Court dismissed the frivolous $400 million Baldoni-Wayfarer lawsuit in its entirety. Despite earlier claims from Baldoni’s team promising to amend and refile, that never happened. The dismissal was a total victory after all.”

This marks a striking turnaround following the court’s dismissal of Baldoni’s suit not only against Lively and Reynolds but also against The New York Times earlier this month. The lawsuit had accused the actress and her husband of extortion and retaliation related to Lively’s civil suit alleging sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us.

Judge Liman’s ruling on the matter highlighted a lack of evidence that Lively’s actions constituted wrongful extortion, characterizing her demands instead as “legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions.” The court also affirmed that Lively’s complaints to the California Civil Rights Department were privileged.

The legal battle ignited in December 2024, when Lively filed a civil lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, alleging harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni following her complaints. The New York Times published an exposé featuring thousands of internal messages revealing the alleged inner workings of Baldoni’s crisis PR team, managed by Melissa Nathan, known for working with Johnny Depp.

In response, Baldoni launched a countersuit against The New York Times for libel and false light invasion of privacy. However, his $250 million defamation claim was dismissed after the judge found insufficient proof that the paper acted with “actual malice,” noting that the Times reported the story based on available evidence without favoritism.

Lively’s legal team praised the rulings as “a total victory and a complete vindication” not only for their client but also for those drawn into the retaliatory lawsuit, including Reynolds, producer Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times itself.

In a heartfelt Instagram post following the dismissal, Lively thanked supporters and reiterated her commitment to defending women’s rights. “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit… I’m more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves,” she wrote, sharing resources for those facing similar battles.

As the dust settles, this legal chapter ends decisively in Lively’s favor, reaffirming her stance against harassment and vindicating her fight to tell her story. While Baldoni’s team hinted at pursuing other legal avenues, the courtroom saga against Lively and Reynolds appears firmly concluded—at least for now.