What began as a promising adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel It Ends With Us has unraveled into one of the most high-profile—and bitter—Hollywood legal showdowns of the year.

On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman dismissed actor-director Justin Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against his co-star Blake Lively, marking the latest twist in a months-long legal feud marked by sexual harassment allegations, accusations of retaliation, and a high-stakes fight over creative control.

The Origins of the Dispute

The saga erupted publicly in December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliatory behavior during the production of It Ends With Us, a film he directed and co-produced through his company, Wayfarer Studios. The lawsuit reportedly detailed uncomfortable on-set dynamics, creative clashes, and inappropriate conduct that Lively claims escalated when she pushed back against Baldoni’s authority on the project.

In January, Baldoni and Wayfarer hit back with a $400 million countersuit, alleging defamation and extortion—not just against Lively, but also her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, her longtime publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times, which had reported on the original harassment claims.

Baldoni’s legal team argued that Lively had schemed to wrest creative control of the project from him and damage his reputation in the process. They also claimed Lively threatened to boycott the film’s promotional tour if her demands weren’t met—an accusation that painted her as both unprofessional and manipulative.

But Judge Liman wasn’t persuaded.

The Judge’s Ruling

In his ruling, Liman systematically dismantled Baldoni’s legal claims. First, he noted that statements made in the course of a lawsuit are legally protected from defamation claims, shielding Lively from that charge. As for the extortion accusation—centered on Lively’s alleged threat not to promote the film—Liman found that Baldoni’s team failed to demonstrate that Lively was ever under a contractual obligation to participate in marketing activities.

“Wayfarer does not allege facts showing that Lively had an obligation to promote the film or to approve marketing materials,” the judge wrote.

Liman also rejected Baldoni’s lawsuit against The New York Times, calling it a “meritless attempt to stifle honest reporting.” The outlet had covered Lively’s allegations, prompting Baldoni to accuse the paper of defamation as well.

However, the judge left a narrow path forward for Baldoni’s team, stating they could revise and refile their claims if they focus specifically on breach of contract rather than defamation or extortion.

Lively’s Team Claims Victory

Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, hailed the ruling as a comprehensive legal win. “Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively,” they said in a joint statement. “It also vindicates those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times.”

The attorneys added that they plan to seek attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages in the next phase of the legal proceedings.

The New York Times also welcomed the decision. “Our journalists covered a story of public importance with care and fairness, and the court recognized that the law is designed to protect just that sort of journalism,” said spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander.

As of publication, Baldoni’s legal team had not responded to requests for comment.

Behind the Film’s Success, On-Set Friction

At the heart of the dispute is It Ends With Us, a film based on Hoover’s 2016 novel that starts as a tender romance before descending into an unflinching look at domestic violence. The film was a commercial success when it debuted in August, pulling in over $50 million in its first weekend—a strong showing for a mid-budget drama.

But even before its release, whispers of friction between the stars had begun to surface. Insiders cited creative disagreements between Lively and Baldoni, who not only directed but also played a lead role in the film. The lawsuit confirmed what had long been speculated: the working relationship had soured to the point of litigation.

A Public Clash of Hollywood Personas

Both stars came into the project with significant fan followings and carefully cultivated public images. Lively, long admired for her style, wit, and roles in Gossip Girl, The Town, and The Shallows, has typically avoided scandal. Baldoni, meanwhile, gained fame on Jane the Virgin and later reinvented himself as a filmmaker and advocate for redefining masculinity, notably through his book Man Enough.

Their off-screen feud, playing out in court documents and media coverage, now threatens to overshadow the film’s artistic success—and may ripple through both of their careers.

For now, the courtroom battle seems to have tipped in Lively’s favor. But with hints of ongoing legal action and reputations on the line, this Hollywood drama may still have more acts to come.

Source: AP News – Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni’s $400M lawsuit against ‘It Ends With Us’ costar Blake Lively

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Justin Baldoni has taken legal action, filing a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times in response to an article that detailed accusations of sexual harassment by his co-star, Blake Lively. The suit claims that the newspaper published a story “rife with inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and omissions” by relying heavily on Lively’s “self-serving narrative.”

The Allegations and Legal Battle

In December, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation. Lively claimed that after voicing concerns about harassment on the set of their film It Ends With Us, Baldoni and his team retaliated by leaking negative press to damage her professional reputation. The New York Times reported on these allegations in an article titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine” on December 21, which included details from Lively’s complaint—information that is typically confidential.

Following the publication of the article and Lively’s claims, Baldoni was dropped by his talent agency, WME, which also represents Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) quickly showed support for Lively, and Sony, the studio behind It Ends With Us, also backed her.

Baldoni’s Lawsuit: False Allegations and Strategic Manipulation

In his lawsuit, Baldoni argues that Lively fabricated the allegations of sexual harassment in order to take control of the film production and reshape her public image. He accuses her of using “salacious, headline-grabbing allegations” to damage his reputation and distract from her own public blunders.

The lawsuit also claims that The New York Times failed to uphold journalistic standards, publishing the article based largely on unverified claims from Lively while disregarding evidence that contradicted her narrative. Baldoni’s legal team asserts that the newspaper “lifted nearly verbatim” from Lively’s account without fact-checking and ignored critical evidence that exposed her motives.

A spokesperson for The New York Times responded, defending the article’s accuracy, saying it was “meticulously and responsibly reported” based on thousands of pages of documents, including text messages and emails. The spokesperson emphasized that no errors had been pointed out by Baldoni or his representatives.

Lively’s Counterclaim: A New Federal Lawsuit

Despite Baldoni’s legal actions, Lively’s attorneys maintain that her allegations remain unchanged. They filed a federal complaint on Tuesday, addressing the same claims made in her original complaint to the California Civil Rights Department. Lively’s legal team is eager to defend her position in court.

Meanwhile, Baldoni’s lawsuit was filed by attorney Bryan Freedman in Los Angeles Superior Court, representing a total of 10 plaintiffs, including Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and his producing partner, Jamey Heath—who is also accused of sexual harassment by Lively. The suit also includes Baldoni’s publicist and crisis manager, Jennifer Abel and Melissa Nathan.

Disputed Text Messages and Further Accusations

Central to the legal dispute are text messages between Baldoni and Lively. Lively’s complaint included text messages that allegedly demonstrated an orchestrated attempt by Baldoni’s PR team to damage her reputation. However, Baldoni’s suit contends that these messages were manipulated, claiming the Times intentionally omitted messages that contradicted Lively’s version of events.

Baldoni’s legal team has provided what they believe are irrefutable text messages showing Lively’s own involvement in creating a smear campaign. One example includes a text from Lively to Baldoni stating that she was “just pumping in my trailer if you wanna work out our lines,” which directly contradicts a claim made in her complaint that Baldoni and Heath entered her trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including while breastfeeding.

The Snowball Effect: Legal and Media Fallout

Since the initial complaint, both parties have been embroiled in a back-and-forth exchange, raising questions about how private messages were obtained. Baldoni’s former publicist, Stephanie Jones, filed a lawsuit claiming that the text messages came from the phone of Baldoni’s current publicist, Abel. Abel and others named in Lively’s complaint have denied all of the allegations, asserting that it was Lively who leaked negative press to damage Baldoni’s image.

In a statement to CNN, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, described the situation as a “vicious smear campaign” against Baldoni. Freedman accuses Lively and The New York Times of manipulating the narrative to revitalize Lively’s public image in the face of mounting criticism.

“We embrace the full truth,” Freedman said, “and we have all of the communications to back it.”

Looking Ahead

As both parties prepare for legal battles in court, the case has sparked further questions about the manipulation of media narratives in the age of social media and celebrity influence. Lively’s allegations have garnered widespread attention, but Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that much of the public perception is based on misinformation and a skewed narrative.

The lawsuit, which calls for substantial damages, is likely to continue to make headlines as both sides present their arguments in court. As the legal process unfolds, both Baldoni and Lively’s teams are committed to defending their positions, with each party asserting that the truth is on their side.

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Blake Lively has accused her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a retaliatory smear campaign, according to a lawsuit filed by the actress. Baldoni’s legal team has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “false” and “intentionally salacious.”

Baldoni Allegedly Referenced Hailey Bieber Example for Smear Tactics

Court documents allege that Baldoni used a viral social media post targeting Hailey Bieber as inspiration for a smear campaign against Lively. In text messages submitted as evidence, Baldoni reportedly shared a screenshot of a post titled “Hailey Bieber’s history of bullying many women,” telling PR consultant Jennifer Abel, “This is what we would need.” Abel allegedly replied, “Yes, I literally just spoke to Melissa [Nathan] about this… Focus on Reddit, TikTok, [and Instagram].”

Alleged Plans to Tarnish Lively’s Reputation

According to the complaint, Abel later messaged Nathan saying, “I’m having reckless thoughts of wanting to plant pieces this week of how horrible Blake is to work with… Just to get ahead of it.” Nathan allegedly responded, “Same,” and mentioned a journalist who was “ready when we are.”

These exchanges are part of what Lively claims was a deliberate campaign to “destroy” her reputation following her allegations of misconduct against Baldoni.

Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Baldoni

Lively’s lawsuit alleges numerous incidents of inappropriate behavior during the filming of It Ends with Us. Among the claims:

• Unwanted physical contact: Baldoni allegedly kissed Lively without her consent.
• Invasive behavior: The actor-director allegedly watched her while she was undressed.
• Inappropriate improvisation: Lively and others on set reportedly requested limits on unscripted physical interactions and explicit content added to scenes.

These concerns were reportedly discussed in a production meeting attended by Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and other crew members.

Alleged Smear Campaign Details

The complaint accuses Baldoni’s PR team of plotting to plant stories that painted Lively as manipulative and difficult to work with. One purported tactic was to highlight alleged conflicts Lively had with former colleagues, including Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, and Ben Affleck.

Documents also suggest Baldoni’s publicists aimed to frame Lively’s actions as examples of “weaponized feminism,” with one memo recommending they ensure media inquiries were redirected to other alleged disputes in her career.

Lively Speaks Out

In a statement to The New York Times, Lively expressed hope that her legal action would expose harmful retaliatory tactics in the industry. “I hope this lawsuit pulls back the curtain on these sinister strategies and protects others from being targeted for speaking up,” she said.

Baldoni’s Legal Team Responds

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, denied the allegations, asserting that the lawsuit is an attempt by Lively to “fix her negative reputation.” He claimed that neither Baldoni nor his PR team initiated any retaliatory measures, describing their internal discussions as standard public relations protocol.

Freedman further stated that Wayfarer Studios, of which Baldoni is co-chair, “only responded to media inquiries to ensure balanced and factual reporting.”

Broader Implications

This legal battle not only involves high-profile Hollywood figures but also raises questions about power dynamics, retaliation, and public relations ethics in the entertainment industry. Both sides have taken a firm stance, leaving the case’s outcome—and its impact on Hollywood’s accountability landscape—highly anticipated.

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