By Our Correspondent
National News – A federal judge in New York has dismissed most of the allegations in a high-profile lawsuit filed by actress Blake Lively against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, significantly narrowing the legal battle that began in 2024.
The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Lewis Liman, a judge at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, who struck out 10 of the 13 claims originally brought by Lively.
The dispute started after Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign during the production of the film adaptation of It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.
The movie, which starred Lively as Lily Bloom, explores themes of domestic abuse. Baldoni denied the allegations and filed counterclaims, intensifying the legal conflict between the two actors.
Judge Liman ruled that several of Lively’s claims could not proceed because the alleged incidents occurred in New Jersey, not California, where her harassment allegations were filed under state law.
He also determined that Lively was working as an independent contractor rather than an employee during filming, making some harassment and retaliation claims legally invalid.
Additionally, defamation claims against Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, were dismissed because the statements referenced ongoing court allegations.
Despite dismissing most accusations, the judge allowed three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting retaliation—to move forward.
These issues will now be examined in a civil trial scheduled for 18 May in New York.
Lively’s legal team, led by attorney Sigrid McCawley, said the case will focus on alleged retaliation and attempts to damage the actress’s reputation after she raised concerns about misconduct.
They argue that the dismissal of harassment claims was due to legal technicalities rather than proof that wrongdoing did not occur.
Baldoni’s lawyers welcomed the decision, stating that the ruling significantly narrowed the case and that they look forward to defending the remaining allegations in court.
The dispute also drew attention after Baldoni filed a $400m defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others.
That case was dismissed last year, leaving the current claims to determine the outcome of the ongoing Hollywood legal battle.
