Judge tosses Justin Baldoni’s $661.4m lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds

Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against movie stars Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, as well as his lawsuit against the New York Times, have been tossed out by a judge. Photo / Getty Images

Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against movie stars Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, as well as his lawsuit against the New York Times, has been tossed out by a judge, in a shocking legal twist.

Judge Lewis J. Liman granted the motion to dismiss the US$400 ($661.4m) million lawsuit filed by Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios on Tuesday (NZ time), in a major blow to the It Ends With Us director.

Lively’s lawyers said it was a “total victory and a complete vindication”.

The judge ultimately found that Lively and her co-defendants had not defamed Baldoni because their allegations were all made only in their legal complaints – which are protected by US law.

Defamation also requires the plaintiff to prove the defendant knowingly made false claims about them, which the judge also said Baldoni’s team provided no evidence to support.

“The Wayfarer Parties [Baldoni and his studio] have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her… complaint, which are privileged,” Judge Liman stated in the opinion and order filing, which was viewed by People magazine.

“The Wayfarer Parties have alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign.

“But the Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Reynolds, Sloane or the Times would have seriously doubted these statements were true based on the information available to them, as is required for them to be liable for defamation under applicable law.

“The Wayfarer Parties’ additional claims also fail. Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety.”

Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, celebrated the decision as a “total victory and a complete vindication” for the actor in a statement to the New York Post’s Page Six.

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

They are “look[ing] forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages” over the “abusive litigation”, according to the statement.

Baldoni’s camp has yet to comment on the ruling.

Lively and Baldoni sparked feud rumours when It Ends With Us, which was adapted from Colleen Hoover’s book of the same name, premiered in August 2024.

Shortly after filing her complaint last year, Lively officially sued director for alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and lost wages.

Baldoni, who shares two children with his wife Emily Baldoni, has continued to deny any wrongdoing.

– With The NY Post