Blake Lively’s Bold Move: Why She’s Fighting Back Against Justin Baldoni’s Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit

Actress Blake Lively is pushing back against a multi-million-dollar lawsuit filed by her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, citing California’s legal protections for individuals speaking out about sexual harassment.

According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Lively filed a motion on March 20 to dismiss the lawsuit, which has stirred ongoing legal tensions between the two actors. In a statement to Us Weekly, Lively’s attorneys, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, described Baldoni’s suit as “a profound abuse of the legal process” that should have no standing in federal court. They pointed to California law—specifically AB 933, which protects victims who come forward about harassment—as a safeguard against retaliatory defamation claims.

“This meritless and retaliatory lawsuit runs head first into three legal obstacles, including the litigation, fair report, and sexual harassment privileges,” Lively’s legal team said. “In other words, in an epic self-own, the Wayfarer Parties’ attempt to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ has only created more liability for them.”

A representative for Lively emphasized the broader implications of her legal fight. “Ms. Lively is not alone in being sued for defamation after speaking up about being sexually harassed at work,” the spokesperson said, underscoring that California’s recent legal reforms were enacted to prevent individuals from being silenced through financial or reputational damage. “It is important for other people to know that they have protections, and that there is a specific law that expressly protects them from being silenced or financially ruined by a defamation lawsuit because they had the courage to speak up.”

Meanwhile, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, criticized Lively’s motion to dismiss, calling it an attempt to evade responsibility. “Ms. Lively’s recent motion to dismiss herself from the self-concocted disaster she initiated is one of the most abhorrent examples of abusing our legal system,” Freedman said in a statement. He accused Lively of making “fantastical claims” that would ultimately be disproven as the case moves forward.

This legal clash follows Lively’s initial lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, where she alleged sexual harassment and claimed Baldoni orchestrated a campaign to tarnish her reputation. Baldoni denied these allegations and responded in January with a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, accusing them of defamation. Reynolds has also moved to dismiss the claims, which the couple has steadfastly denied.

As the court battle continues, both parties have sharply different accounts of what transpired, setting the stage for a contentious legal showdown.