Justin Baldoni could be forced to pay a massive sum to Blake Lively after his $400 million lawsuit was officially dismissed.
The bombshell legal battle between the It Ends With Us co-stars began earlier this year after Baldoni filed a lawsuit accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and the New York Times of conspiring to ruin his career.
The Jane the Virgin star alleged that the couple manipulated their way into creative control of the 2024 film before launching a “duplicitous attempt to destroy” him through a scathing article in the Times.
The 41-year-old director also claimed he was the victim of extortion and defamation, and his media company, Wayfarer Studios, joined him in the legal onslaught. But the court wasn’t buying it.
Justin Baldoni has been accused of sexual harassment. Credit: Cindy Ord / Getty
Case dismissed
Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled back in June that the 41-year-old's arguments lacked merit.
When the actor missed the October 17 appeal deadline, the judge issued a final order on Halloween, closing the door on both the $400M claim and Baldoni’s separate $250M defamation suit against the New York Times.
Lively's Lawsuit Against Her Co-star
Baldoni's countersuit came a month after the 38-year-old Gossip Girl star filed a suit against Wayfarer Studios, alleging she was sexually harassed on the set of the film based on Colleen Hoover's popular book.
Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, described Baldoni's case as a "sham" and "retaliatory," after it was dismissed in June, adding: “The Court saw right through it," cited by Deadline.
"We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation," they also said.
The actress' team is demanding millions to cover her legal costs, and more. In September, they filed a motion claiming Baldoni should be held liable for emotional, psychological, and economic harm.
To support her case, Lively is invoking California’s AB 933 law - the Protecting Survivors from Weaponized Defamation Lawsuits Act, passed in 2023 - which shields harassment victims who speak out from retaliatory lawsuits.
Her legal motion noted the law ensures people can tell their stories to courts, the press, and the public “without fear of being sued for doing so," Variety reported.
A spokesperson for Lively added: “Sadly, Ms Lively is not alone in facing a retaliatory defamation suit after speaking out about harassment at work… those who weaponize the legal system to silence them will be held accountable, not just for attorneys’ fees, but for treble damages and punitive damages as well.”
Blake Lively has sued Justin Baldoni. Credit: James Devaney / Getty
Baldoni’s side hits back
While Judge Liman has not yet ruled whether the law applies in this case, Baldoni’s lawyers have fiercely denied the harassment claims and insist AB 933 doesn’t apply.
In a filing, they accused Lively of fabricating or exaggerating her allegations to save face and regain control of the film: “Lively fabricated her allegations of sexual harassment, either wholesale or by exaggerating benign (and not harassing) interactions in a concerted, malicious effort to seize control of the Film and later to restore her reputation after a well-publicized series of marketing missteps that sullied her reputation."
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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni on the set of It Ends With Us. Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Even though Baldoni’s lawsuits have collapsed, the courtroom fight isn’t over. Lively’s own lawsuit is still moving forward and is scheduled for trial in March 2026.
And in a twist, the New York Times is now suing Baldoni for damages related to the legal fees it racked up defending his countersuit, E! News reported.