The Hollywood legal feud that had all eyes glued to court updates may finally be over. Blake Lively has declared “total victory” after Justin Baldoni decided not to refile his $400 million countersuit — a dramatic twist in what was an already dramatic case.
After Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation and extortion claims against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times, earlier this month, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman confirmed they would not be amending or refiling any part of the case. While the judge had left the door open for Baldoni to revise certain claims — specifically those relating to breach of implied covenant and tortious interference — his legal team has chosen not to move forward.
“The Court’s decision on the motion to dismiss has no effect whatsoever on the truth that there was no harassment nor any smear campaign, and it does not in any way affect our vigorous defense against Ms. Lively’s claims,” Freedman said, according to PEOPLE.
“Discovery is proceeding and we are confident that we will prevail against these factually baseless accusations,” he continued. “Instead of revising the existing claims, our clients will be pursuing additional legal options that are available to us.”
Blake Lively’s ‘total victory’
Lively’s representative told Just Jared, “The Court dismissed the frivolous USD 400 million Baldoni-Wayfarer lawsuit in its entirety. In the days that followed, Baldoni’s lawyer said the judge’s decision to dismiss their case was not a big deal, as they promised to amend and refile it. As per usual, that was not true. The Court’s dismissal of Baldoni’s sham lawsuit was a total victory after all.”
Crash course on the trial
Lively originally filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment, and orchestrating a smear campaign during the production of It Ends With Us — the 2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. The legal firestorm between the co-stars quickly eclipsed the film itself, dominating entertainment news and flooding social media with speculation.
Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film as Ryle Kincaid opposite Lively’s Lily Bloom, retaliated with explosive claims of his own, which included a defamation suit alleging false allegations meant to derail his career. But Judge Liman found that Lively’s accusations were protected under legal privilege, striking a blow to Baldoni’s case. Lively’s original lawsuit is still active, with a trial scheduled for March 2026.
