A federal judge has ruled against actress Blake Lively’s claims of sexual harassment in her legal battle with actor and director Justin Baldoni, narrowing the focus of her lawsuit concerning their 2024 romantic film “It Ends With Us.” U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman made his decision after over a year of contentious legal proceedings related to the movie, which featured both Lively and Baldoni in leading roles, with Baldoni also serving as the director.
During a court session in January, Lively’s attorney, Esra Hudson, contended that Baldoni had repeatedly overstepped boundaries by introducing unnecessary sexual elements not originally in the script. Hudson cited instances such as a dance scene where Baldoni allegedly engaged in unwelcome physical contact with Lively and a birth scene where Lively was pressured to wear minimal clothing and simulate nudity.
Judge Liman’s ruling suggested that Baldoni’s actions were aimed at Lively’s character within the scenes rather than at Lively herself. He emphasized the importance of allowing creative professionals room to experiment within the confines of an agreed-upon script without facing allegations of sexual harassment.
While the sexual harassment claims were dismissed, Lively still has the opportunity to argue before a jury that Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, retaliated against her following her complaints about misconduct during the filming. The case is slated to proceed to trial on May 18.
Lively, through her lawyer Sigrid McCawley, expressed readiness to testify and demonstrate the efforts made to tarnish her reputation after she advocated for a safe working environment on the film set. In response to the dismissal of the sexual harassment allegations, Baldoni’s legal team, including lawyers Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach, welcomed the decision and looks forward to presenting their defense in the remaining aspects of the case, which include claims of retaliation and breach of contract against Wayfarer Studios.
The legal dispute between Lively and Baldoni, which has garnered significant attention within the entertainment industry, involves high-profile individuals such as singer Taylor Swift, model Gigi Hadid, and actor Hugh Jackman, all potentially possessing information supportive of Lively’s contentions. The lawsuit, originally filed by Lively in December 2024, sought damages for alleged harassment, defamation, invasion of privacy, and violations of civil rights laws.
Despite the dismissal of the sexual harassment claims, the legal battle between Lively and Baldoni continues, with both parties pursuing their respective claims and defenses. The film “It Ends With Us,” starring Lively and Baldoni in lead roles, explores themes of abuse and relationships, and despite receiving mixed reviews, it achieved significant commercial success, grossing over $351 million globally according to Box Office Mojo.
