Justin Baldoni may soon have to open his wallet wide after a judge officially dismissed his massive $400 million lawsuit against It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times.
The legal drama, which had gripped Hollywood since January, finally reached a breaking point when Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Baldoni’s claims of extortion and defamation didn’t hold up in court. The 41-year-old actor and filmmaker missed the October 17 deadline to appeal, sealing the case’s fate once and for all.
As a result, on Halloween, Judge Liman signed a final order confirming that Baldoni’s lawsuits were over. Both his defamation claim against The New York Times and his accusations against Lively and Reynolds have now been fully dismissed.
Blake Lively Scores a Legal Victory
For Lively and Reynolds, it’s a major win. Baldoni had alleged that the couple manipulated events around the 2024 adaptation of It Ends With Us and “destroyed” his reputation through a damaging article. But the court wasn’t convinced.
Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, called Baldoni’s claims “sham litigation” and said the judge “saw right through it.” They’ve now filed a motion demanding that Baldoni reimburse Lively for her legal costs—an amount that could reach into the millions.
The Gossip Girl star also wants punitive damages for the emotional and psychological distress caused by the ordeal. Her legal team cites California’s Protecting Survivors from Weaponised Defamation Lawsuits Act (AB 933), which shields victims who speak out about harassment from retaliatory defamation suits.
What Comes Next for Baldoni?
Although his lawsuit is officially dismissed, Baldoni still faces financial fallout. If the court sides with Lively’s team, he could owe her not only her legal fees but also additional damages.
Meanwhile, Lively’s own lawsuit against Baldoni—accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign—remains ongoing. That case is scheduled to be heard by a federal judge in New York next spring.
So while this round of courtroom drama has wrapped, the feud between the It Ends With Us stars is far from over.
Conclusion
Justin Baldoni’s $400 million claim has crashed and burned, leaving Blake Lively with a major legal victory and a potential payday on the horizon. With another case still pending, the Hollywood tension between the two shows no signs of cooling down.
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