June 10, 2025: Despite a recent court dismissal, actor-director Justin Baldoni has vowed to continue his legal battle against It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively. His $650 million defamation lawsuit — which also named Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, and The New York Times — was thrown out by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman earlier this week.
However, Baldoni’s legal team remains undeterred. In a statement to Variety, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman responded to the court’s ruling, saying: “Ms. Lively and her team’s predictable declaration of victory is false, so let us be clear about the latest ruling. 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.”
The lawsuit centers around allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, which Baldoni claims were falsely made against him and used as the basis for a damaging smear campaign.
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“Most importantly, Ms. Lively’s own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday,” Freedman continued. “With the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle. We look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking.”
He also expressed gratitude for public support, particularly from online communities following the case closely: “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.”
While the court’s dismissal is a major blow to Baldoni’s initial lawsuit, the door remains open for amended claims — signaling that this legal fight may be far from over.