Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni were tossed out by a New York Judge Thursday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment, defamation, conspiracy and Title VII claims against Baldoni. Two retaliation claims and a breach of contract claim still remain as the former co-stars prepare for trial.
Following Liman’s ruling Thursday, Lively’s team shared a statement with Fox News Digital.
“This case has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set, and that is the case that is going to trial,” Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively’s legal team, said.
“For Blake Lively, the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted. She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight,” she continued.
“Sexual harassment isn’t going forward not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee,” McCawley concluded.
Wayfarer Studios also shared a statement with Fox News Digital after the judge’s ruling.
“We’re very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants: Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath, Steve Sarowitz, Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel. These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence that was provided,” a statement provided by Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach of Shapiro Arato Bach said.
“What’s left is a significantly narrowed case, and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”
Baldoni and Lively are still headed to trial, with the legal battle kicking off May 18.
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Baldoni and Lively became embroiled in a legal back-and-forth after filming the Colleen Hoover-adapted film, “It Ends With Us.” The “Gossip Girl” actress claimed she experienced sexual harassment on set and sued Baldoni in December 2024.
Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more made against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights Department and later in federal court.
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The same day Lively filed her federal suit, Baldoni filed a $250 million suit against The New York Times for a December 2024 article about the alleged smear campaign he attempted to run against his co-star.
Weeks later, Baldoni then named Lively and Reynolds in a separate $400 million defamation lawsuit in which he accused the Hollywood power couple of attempting to hijack “It Ends With Us” and create their own narrative.
The phone conference on Thursday, where the judge dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment claims, also included a conversation between Lively and Baldoni’s legal teams concerning jury selection for the upcoming trial.
