On Monday, the judge dismissed Justin Baldoni’s case against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Blake’s publicist. The judge also dismissed Baldoni’s defamation case against the New York Times. As I said, the dismissal of the NYT lawsuit was not that surprising. However, I was surprised by the judge’s dismissal of the lawsuit against Blake and Ryan. The most bizarre part about it is that Blake and her team acted like they won all of their legal challenges and nothing else was going to court – even with the dismissal, Blake’s lawsuit against Baldoni is proceeding and, before this dismissal, it did not appear that Blake’s case was holding up. Well, it took about 24 hours for Baldoni’s legal team to respond to the dismissal. Unsurprisingly, they’re basically saying it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Justin Baldoni’s attorney is breaking his silence after his $400 million countersuit against Blake Lively was dismissed by the judge. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE Tuesday, June 10, the It Ends With Us actor-director’s lawyer Bryan Freedman said Lively and her team’s “predictable declaration of victory is false.”
On June 9, Judge Lewis J. Liman granted motions to dismiss Baldoni’s countersuit against Lively, 37, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, which alleged extortion and defamation, as well as his $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times.
The judge noted that Baldoni’s legal team can still amend the claims for breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract, with a deadline of June 23.
“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,” Freedman said in his statement. He added, “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.”
“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,” Freedman added in his statement. “We are grateful for the organic show of support from the public and for the dedication of the internet sleuth community who continue to cover the case with discernment and integrity.”
I have the feeling that I’ll be dipping back out of this story in the coming weeks/months. I’m not going to cover it when both sides start leaking bullsh-t around Blake’s deposition. People Mag also published some analysis of the dismissals and the case moving forward. They spoke to a lawyer named Gregory Doll, who basically said much the same as Bryan Freedman, that there is still a lot of court proceedings left: “As all litigators know, sometimes you win everything at trial only to see your case reversed on appeal. The decision is undoubtedly a blow to Baldoni. But the case is far from over. One thing I’ve learned many times over as a litigator is not to celebrate too early.” Doll also said that in his opinion, this situation will most likely be settled out of court. I can only see a settlement happening if both Baldoni and Lively agree to a comprehensive NDA, and I just don’t believe that will ever happen.
Here are some photos of Blake at the Chanel Tribeca Festival dinner on Monday night.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
- ‘It Ends With Us’ World Premiere Featuring: Justin Baldoni Where: New York, New York, United States When: 06 Aug 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
- World Premiere Of ‘It Ends With Us’ at AMC Lincoln Square Theatre Featuring: Justin Baldoni Where: New York, United States When: 06 Aug 2024 Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
- Celebrities attends Sony Pictures world premiere of ‘It Ends With Us’ at AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York Featuring: Justin Baldoni Where: New York, New York , United States When: 06 Aug 2024 Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
- Celebrities attends Sony Pictures world premiere of ‘It Ends With Us’ at AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York Featuring: Justin Baldoni Where: New York, New York , United States When: 06 Aug 2024 Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages
- Chanel Tribeca Festival Artist Dinner Featuring: Blake Lively Where: New York, New York, United States When: 09 Jun 2025 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
- Chanel Tribeca Festival Artist Dinner Featuring: Blake Lively Where: New York, New York, United States When: 09 Jun 2025 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
I know that often times that being a celebrity/entertainer/actor is about image and though I don’t like Blake I think Justin is smarmy and gross. There is something not right with him.
He hired the same PR team Depp did he’s slimy
Yes OMG those texts coming from his PR were incriminating to say the least. Only based on that people should side-eye the hell out of him.
However – please name the movie number 2 “It’ll never end with Us” because seriously, this saga is never-ending!!
And Blake’s PR person was Harvey Weinsteins PR person who defended him during Me Too..he funded her PR company. What exactly is your point? If it’s guilt by association what does that mean for Blake …hmmm
Getting a suit dismissed on a 12(b) dismissal motion is a HUGE deal legally. It does not happen often.
It is the court deciding even if we choose to think the plaintiff’s claims are 100% true- those claims do not meet the requirements to be in violation the laws they cite.
He can amend his petition on only 2 claims – something about contract interference.
But the great majority of his $400M lawsuit cannot be re-pled ever.
To pretend it is not a huge deal is to ignore reality.
Something our country is great at.
Especially when a woman is not “likable” enough.
Exactly, not only did the Court determine that the facts don’t support Baldoni for a majority of his claims, but it also decided that giving Baldoni another chance to re-plead his case would be a waste of time.
That is a very big deal. This is a big loss for Baldoni.
Even with the chance to replead the contract claims, he’s going to have to identify more specific conduct, and Blake will have a chance to try to get those claims dismissed again.
Baldoni’s case against Blake has been seriously curtailed. He might walk away with a complete win on her claims against him. But his case against her has been gutted by this order, and anyone pretending it wasn’t is just spinning.
Exactly THIS to both comments above! I have no idea what is so “bizarre” that Blake et al at like this is a victory, it factually is one. Is there still a trial, yes and we will see what happens, but this is still huge.
Yup, a huge win for Blake. It’s wild that there are women who are obviously supporting Baldoni, even if they aren’t stating it explicitly. Wild and gross.
Yep, that’s what I thought and thanks for clarifying that.
It’s difficult to read unbiased comments and reporting on this case, for example all the Reddit subs seems in JB’s PR team pockets. I’m glad this website allows us to comment in a civil manner.
He’s likely crying in his cereal bowl that all that money spent in astroturfing hasn’t changed the judges’ mind 😆
Its not even his money. Apparently his bestie and partner in his production company is wealthy. The attorney fees for the NYT, Sloan, Reynolds/Lively that may be awarded for having to defend his now dismissed lawsuit is going to STING, even for a wealthy guy.
I’m sorry, the lawyer thinks that people on the internet will use “discernment and integrity”… Don’t make me laugh. It is clear he is fighting in the court of public opinion and not in the courtroom.
The circus part 2 will proceed to court and the court of public opinion. It’s not over till all the mud slinging and leaks and the actual case has come to fruition.
The judge saw Baldoni’s case for what it was, retaliation against Lively for filing a suit against him, which is a protected act. Truth is a defense against libel and defamation. Lively, in filing her case, swore that it is true. Therefore, his only available legal actions now are to answer her charges. He can refile on the contract charges because those were not mentioned in Blake’s case.
Basically his filings were full of slams against Lively, not actually legally actionable claims. Depp had grounds based on some tweets Heard had liked. That opened everything else up for discovery. All Lively has done is filed à suit against him and very wisely kept her mouth shut otherwise. She can’t be sued for libel over that. Nor can the NYT be sued over reporting about her case. Or her husband for believing what his wife said is true. Zero grounds.
NYT is undoubtedly going to get their legal fees and maybe even damages. Same with Reynolds. Baldoni is going to have to find actual legal grounds beyond Blake is the Worst on those last two charges. Lively could well to get fees and damages because judge found no standing to sue for libel over a sexual assault and harassment legal case.
Sad to see Baldoni’s awful tactics working.
I agree with all of this, especially, “Sad to see Baldoni’s awful tactics working.” I do hope they all recoup their legal fees.
Good points Tis True.
It’s sad how many people fall for DARVO.
Yep, so disheartening Tiffany.
YouTube has even videos bringing down Lively’s lawsuit bit by bit with disgusting commentary below. ‘Scum of the Earth’ sort of comments. Reddit is full of awful posts too.
“All Lively has done is filed à suit against him and very wisely kept her mouth shut otherwise. She can’t be sued for libel over that.”
That is the part Blake and her legal team acted very smart. When the internet and bots were attacking Blake, she didn’t say anything about what happened, why all of the actors were distancing themselves from Justin. If she went to the media first before filing a lawsuit with her SH complaints, I am guessing his claims on defamation wouldn’t be dismissed so easily.
I really loved jane the virgin… thanks for ruining it, toxic bro.
I know in the grand scheme of …. (gestures to country’s descent into white supremacist christo-fascism) and even the smaller grand scheme of the erosion of women’s rights and autonomy, this is a small thing.
And of course, i would rather a man be held accountable for sexual harassment and/or assault than not.
But it SUCKS how many movies/shows i no longer enjoy because the actor or director is a sexual predator or abuser.
It is a huge win. And any time baldoni could dramatize, inflate and pretend a small win was a big … bigest win, he did. He is that guy. So is the lawyer. If this were reversed the gloating would be nauseating and epicly overblown.
Celebrate Blake and Ryan and the publicist who also are free from Justin baldoni and his billionare backer on this. Now on to getting your claim heard and to discuss in court.
It is huge. And the precedent is major. This is why it is major. Women who get targeted and can’t afford to do this and back down and try to disappear to get out from a predator, this win helps with their emotional wellbeing and to ‘ choose’ to pursue charges or a complaint without being put through a DARVO hellscape to do so.
I wasn’t going to comment on this because it’s just too messy and I didn’t feel I had anything to contribute to the discussion.
However, I recently started watching the new “Matlock” series, starring Kathy Bates as Matty and episode 3’s case of the week, “A Guy Named Greg” was so apt. The client was suing for wrongful termination because she was fired when she called her boss out for sexual harassment. It resonated with me and my mind immediately went to the Lively-Baldoni mess. Matty’s boss told her that she took on the client because she wanted this win on the books. She knew their client was “messy”, not a perfect client. But she wanted her daughter to have the option to be “messy”, and her only problem in the workplace having to deal with extreme professionalism. Matty’s closing argument was poignant: women are expected to laugh off the harassment and just avoid confrontation or they get publicly smeared and shamed (the client’s intimate sex tape was shown in court). How bad must it have been for the client that she risk all that to sue her employer for sexual harassment?
Matty’s client won; it’s a TV show. But still, I found myself thinking about it. Yeah, wouldn’t it be nice to only have to deal with extreme professionalism in the workplace?