Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively

Blake Lively’s legal team has hailed the ruling as a “complete vindication” for the actress.

Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively has been dismissed by a federal judge.

The 41-year-old actor previously launched a $400 million countersuit against his ‘It Ends with Us’ co-star, her husband Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane – the couple’s publicist – and the New York Times newspaper, after she accused her former co-star of causing her “severe emotional distress”.

Following the judge’s decision, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, Blake’s attorneys, said in a statement obtained by People: “Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.”

The attorneys actually described Justin’s countersuit as a “sham”.

They continued: “As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the court saw right through it.

“We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, [Steve] Sarowitz, [Melissa] Nathan and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”

Justin previously accused Blake and her husband of extortion and defamation, while he launched a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, too.

However, his accusations have now been dismissed by Judge Lewis J. Liman, who reached the verdict on Monday (09.06.25) in New York.

Blake, 37, previously accused her former co-star of employing “sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct”.

The actress – who played Justin’s on-screen love interest in ‘It Ends with Us’ – told the New York Times: “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”

Justin – who also directed the 2024 romantic drama film – later denied the allegations, with his lawyer describing the claims as “categorically false”.

Bryan Freedman – who acted as a lawyer for the actor and his Wayfarer Studios production company – told Variety: “These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.”