Sometimes the toughest battles are lost before they’re won! In a recent courtroom spectacle, Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against his It Ends with Us co-stars, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, was dismissed by a federal judge.
The lawsuit, which included allegations of civil extortion and defamation, was deemed legally insufficient, with the judge ruling that the claims did not meet the necessary legal standards for defamation. But as it stands, the judge has left Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios a faint flicker of hope: they may amend some claims by June 23.
Journalist Kjersti Flaa recently reacted to this stunning dismissal of Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit dismissed by Judge?
The legal storm swirling around It Ends With Us just took a dramatic turn. On Monday, a federal judge threw out Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against co-star Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, calling it legally insufficient (per CBS News).
Baldoni, who also directed the film, had accused the trio of civil extortion and defamation after Lively filed a bombshell complaint in December, accusing him of s*xual harassment and retaliation….allegations he continues to deny. Not stopping there, Baldoni also went after The New York Times, the first outlet to report Lively’s complaint.
The judge left Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, a sliver of a chance to rework and refile some of the claims, but the clock is ticking, with a deadline set for June 23. Meanwhile, Lively’s legal team declared victory in no uncertain terms. Attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb said:
As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it.
As of now, Baldoni’s camp remains silent; no comment was issued in response to the rulings.
According to Lively’s complaint, after confronting Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath about “repeated s*xual harassment and other disturbing behavior,” she alleges they launched a coordinated smear campaign to damage her career and credibility.
Baldoni, in his now-dismissed countersuit, painted a very different picture, accusing Lively of sabotaging the film, stealing the spotlight at the premiere, and leaving his career in tatters. His claim said she “stole Wayfarer’s movie, hijacked Wayfarer’s premiere, destroyed Plaintiffs’ personal and professional reputations and livelihood, and aimed to drive Plaintiffs out of business entirely.”
But for now, the judge wasn’t buying it. Baldoni may be down, but with that narrow window to amend his complaint, he’s not entirely out. Still, with Lively’s original lawsuit still moving forward and a court date set for March 2026, it’s Baldoni who may soon be on the hot seat.
So, more bad news for his supporters.
Kjersti Flaa breaks down the dismissal of Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively
Journalist Kjersti Flaa recently chimed in on the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni showdown, starting off on a somber note as she broke the tough news that Baldoni’s lawsuit has been tossed out by the court. Her disappointment was palpable, especially on behalf of Baldoni’s supporters, as she confessed:
I am so sorry to bring this terrible news to everyone that Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, The New York Times, and Leslie Sloane has been dismissed by the judge.
Flaa explained that the case was dismissed due to technical legal standards not being met, specifically the strict requirements for proving defamation in U.S. law.
The judge here says that his claims were not legally sufficient. He said he didn’t meet the legal requirements for defamation, particularly failing to show that the accused parties knowingly made false statements or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.
Even though Baldoni’s countersuit is gone, Lively’s original complaint for s*xual harassment and retaliation is still moving forward in court.
The judge dismissed this one but not the one from Blake Lively. So that’s still on… Lively’s original lawsuit… is still moving forward and is scheduled for March 2026. Both Baldoni and Lively are expected to testify.
Flaa further stated that the judge left a tiny window for Baldoni to amend this complaint. He said that he can still refile some claims like breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract, but they must do so by June 23rd.
I don’t think there’s much hope for Baldoni to actually receive any form of compensation for what he’s gone through, and I think it’s going to be really hard for him to amend this complaint.
Well, Flaa is concerned that Baldoni won’t be able to get justice or recover damages. She also doubted that his refiled claims, if any, would succeed. The options left for the actor-director are limited and barely promising. Flaa predicted that sympathy will shift to Baldoni and backlash will mount against Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
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