Judge Dismisses Blake Lively’s Justin Baldoni Sexual Harassment Claim

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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are getting some answers in their court case. 

A New York judge largely dismissed claims made by the actress against Blake in a lawsuit filed over a year ago. This includes allegations of sexual harassment. Blake had initially sued the actress, and she later filed a countersuit that was ultimately dismissed, according to court documents obtained by TopMob News on April 2nd.

The judge dismissed 10 of the 13 charges, meaning the jury will only consider accusations of retaliation, breaking a contract, and helping someone else retaliate.

The judge ruled that because the alleged harassment didn’t happen in California and the plaintiff was an independent contractor, not a traditional employee, it wasn’t covered by California’s employment and housing laws or federal civil rights protections.

The judge acknowledged evidence suggesting a deliberate effort to harm Lively and her career was actually carried out, dismissing claims that it was simply an attempt to damage her reputation.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen firsthand how reputations can be built up or torn down, and this case is a perfect example. The core of the disagreement boils down to whether the negative reaction towards Lively happened naturally, or if it was deliberately manufactured. More importantly, a jury needs to decide if the other parties involved were simply defending themselves, or actively trying to ruin Lively’s life and career. It’s a critical distinction, and ultimately, it’s up to a jury to sort out what really happened.

The trial is scheduled for May 18, per the BBC.

After the judge’s decision, Blake’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, stated that the actress intends to continue pursuing the case and present her remaining arguments to a jury.

According to the attorney’s statement to TopMob News, this case centers on the harmful actions the defendants took to damage Blake Lively’s reputation after she advocated for on-set safety. The attorney stated that for Lively, the most important outcome is that those responsible for the coordinated online attacks have been revealed and are facing consequences from other women they’ve targeted.

Her lawyer stated she is eager to share her experience in court and help expose this harmful type of online harassment, making it easier to identify and combat in the future.

TopMob News has reached out to Justin’s team but hasn’t received a comment.

In January 2025, Justin sued Blake, claiming she had attempted to blackmail him, damaged his reputation, and violated his privacy. However, a judge threw out the case in June. Justin’s lawyers didn’t file an updated version of the lawsuit by the November 2025 deadline, which meant the dismissal stood.

Over the past year, the legal battle involved the release of private emails and texts between those involved. This led to Justin filing countersuits against The New York Times, and a legal order protecting Blake, which also extended to other cast members like Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer.

In August 2025, Isabela claimed in court filings obtained by TopMob News that Justin and his team behaved improperly after she received a subpoena in the case. Meanwhile, text messages later made public revealed Jenny referred to Justin as a “clown.”

 

Throughout the dispute, both Justin and Blake strongly denied each other’s claims. Even after Justin’s lawsuit was dropped and The New York Times sued Blake in October, Justin and his lawyers stated they would keep fighting the case.

Colleen Hoover, the author of the It Ends With Us book, also weighed in on the drama.

She described the situation as feeling like a circus in a November 2025 interview with Elle. She explained that because real people with real feelings are involved, it’s had a significant impact on some actors’ careers, and she finds the whole thing very sad.

For her part, the author herself had been trying to remain quiet.  

The 46-year-old explained they’re choosing to avoid negative drama. They admitted they have their own experiences they could share, but don’t want to create more conflict or diminish others in the process. Instead, they prefer to simply disregard the negativity and let others form their own opinions.

Colleen explained that the lawsuit and public discussion surrounding the book changed how she and her family viewed it, especially because it was based on her mother’s life story.

Honestly, just thinking about it gives me chills. It’s heartbreaking, because it feels like she’s suffered more dealing with everything after the movie came out than she did while actually filming with my dad! Seeing all the negativity and just…the sheer ugliness of it all has been devastating for her, and it just breaks my heart all over again.

Throughout the dispute, both Justin and Blake firmly denied each other’s claims. Even after Justin’s lawsuit was dropped and The New York Times sued Blake in October, Justin and his lawyers stated they would continue to pursue the matter.

Despite the challenges, Justin’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, stated they will not back down, even if they don’t win. In a statement to People magazine, Freedman explained they are determined to find the truth, no matter how powerful the opposition.

For a look back at the many developments throughout Justin and Blake’s legal battle, read on. 

Four months after the movie version of Colleen Hoover’s book It Ends With Us came out, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th against her co-star Justin Baldoni and several people connected to him, according to The New York Times.

The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, names Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel and her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan and her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace, and his company Street Relations Inc. as defendants.

Lively claims that Baldoni and those associated with Wayfarer launched a coordinated public relations and online campaign to retaliate against her after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on set. She alleges that she and other members of the cast and crew experienced behavior from Baldoni and Heath that was invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate.

The actress states this alleged campaign caused significant personal and professional damage.

The complaint includes accusations of sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breach of contract, intentional emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with her career opportunities.

The following day, The New York Times published a story detailing a supposed smear campaign led by Baldoni and his colleagues against Lively, referencing the complaint she filed with the CRD. The article included messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, all of which were part of Lively’s complaint. Readers could find the full court documents on The New York Times website. Lively told the publication, “I hope my lawsuit exposes these harmful retaliatory tactics and protects others who might be targeted for speaking out about wrongdoing.”

Following Blake Lively’s public complaint, Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing Jason Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, strongly refuted her claims. In a statement to The New York Times, Freedman called Lively’s accusations “shameful” and “categorically false,” arguing they were a desperate attempt to repair her own reputation, which he said was damaged by her own statements and actions during the film’s promotion. He emphasized that publicly available interviews and press events showed Lively’s behavior firsthand and allowed the public to form their own opinions. Freedman dismissed the claims as false, outrageous, and intended to harm Baldoni and Wayfarer’s reputations.

Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, explaining that this happened before the film’s marketing campaign even began. He added that Wayfarer’s team didn’t take any proactive or retaliatory steps, only responding to media inquiries and monitoring social media to ensure accurate reporting. He clarified that the released correspondence only showed internal planning and strategy – standard practice for public relations professionals – and didn’t prove any wrongdoing by Wayfarer.

Following a New York Times article published on December 21st, the talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with Baldoni, as confirmed by Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor.

WME refuted claims that Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively’s husband, was the reason for the split, which Baldoni later asserted in a lawsuit against The New York Times.

WME stated to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st that Baldoni’s claim of Reynolds pressuring his agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere was false. They confirmed that Baldoni’s former representative wasn’t even at the premiere and that neither Reynolds nor Lively ever pressured them to drop Baldoni as a client.

Following Blake Lively’s legal complaint and a New York Times article detailing her allegations, several well-known figures publicly voiced their support. Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, shared a message on Instagram thanking Lively for her honesty, kindness, and patience, and encouraging others to read the article. Jenny Slate, who played a sister to Lively’s character, stated she stood with Lively, praising her as a leader and loyal friend. Slate described the reported attack on Lively’s reputation as deeply disturbing and commended her bravery. Brandon Sklenar, who played a love interest for Lively’s character, shared the legal complaint on social media, urging people to read it. Additionally, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn—expressed their solidarity with her.

On December 23rd, Liz Plank announced she was leaving The Man Enough Podcast, which she co-hosted with Justin Baldoni and Heath. In an Instagram post, Plank thanked listeners for their trust and support over the past four years, expressing her love for the community they built together. While she didn’t state a reason for her departure, it followed a complaint made against Baldoni and his colleagues by actress Florence Lively. Plank reaffirmed her commitment to the values the podcast represented and stated she would share more information later. She concluded by saying she would continue to support those who speak out against injustice and hold people accountable for their actions.

Stephanie Jones, a former publicist for Baldoni, and her firm, Jonesworks LLC, have filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, and current PR professionals Abel and Nathan. The suit, filed in New York on December 24th, claims Abel and Nathan secretly worked together to damage Jones’s and Jonesworks’s reputations, break contracts, and steal clients. According to the lawsuit, they coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a negative media campaign against Baldoni’s co-star, then falsely blamed Jones for the campaign when she was unaware of it. Abel previously worked at Jonesworks until last summer. The suit further alleges that Abel and Nathan are now trying to deflect blame onto Jones as their own actions come to light, and are continuing to harm her professional reputation. Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer Jonesworks clients, are accused of breaking their contractual obligations and refusing to resolve the dispute through private arbitration. TopMob News has reached out to those named in the suit for comment.

According to a December 23rd report in Variety, Lively’s lawyers received the text messages published in The New York Times through a legal request to Jonesworks. Freedman, who represents Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and those connected to Wayfarer, stated that none of his clients were asked to provide information and that he plans to sue Jones for sharing messages from Abel’s phone with Lively’s legal team.

On December 31st, Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, and Street Relations filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times. The suit claims the newspaper falsely portrayed them as conducting a smear campaign against someone after she raised concerns about potential misconduct.

The plaintiffs allege libel, invasion of privacy, and breach of contract, arguing the Times based its article on unverified claims from the person who made the initial accusations. They claim the Times selectively used messages and documents, taking them out of context, and ignored evidence that contradicted the accuser’s story. They insist the accuser, not them, was the one who engaged in a deliberate smear campaign.

The New York Times stated it will strongly defend itself, asserting its reporting was thorough, responsible, and based on a review of thousands of documents, including the quoted text messages and emails.

That day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment, Heath, Sarowitz, the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, Nathan’s company TAG, and Abel in New York.

The lawsuit, as detailed in court documents obtained by TopMob News, alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, and a failure to address harassment. It also includes claims of breach of contract, intentional and negligent emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.

These allegations were initially outlined in a complaint Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) earlier that month.

Regarding Baldoni’s lawsuit against The New York Times—which did not name Lively as a defendant—her lawyers stated to TopMob that her claims remain unchanged. They argued that Baldoni’s lawsuit falsely suggests Lively’s CRD complaint was a tactic to avoid suing him and that she never intended to pursue legal action. They emphasized that her federal complaint, filed the same day, proves this claim is false.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit against The New York Times, led by Baldoni, have indicated they intend to pursue further legal action. Court documents reveal they believe others were involved and that this won’t be their only lawsuit. In a January 2nd interview with NBC News, Baldoni and his attorney, Freedman, confirmed they definitely plan to sue Lively as well.

The controversy surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continued to unfold online. Some social media users theorized that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subtly referenced the situation in his upcoming film, Deadpool & Wolverine, through the character Nicepool. While Reynolds hasn’t addressed these rumors publicly, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, did speak out. In a January 7th interview on The Megyn Kelly Show (posted on YouTube), Freedman stated that if someone’s wife experiences sexual harassment, making jokes about it – or about the person involved – is inappropriate. Instead, he emphasized the importance of taking the matter seriously, filing HR complaints, and following proper legal procedures.

Lively’s legal team stated that since she filed her lawsuit, there’s been a continued effort to discredit her. They emphasized that the case isn’t a simple disagreement, but involves serious allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation supported by evidence. According to the complaint, Wayfarer and those connected to it allegedly engaged in a deliberate campaign to harm Lively’s reputation after she attempted to ensure a safe working environment on a film set. Her lawyers claim this campaign has intensified since the lawsuit was filed.

They also cautioned against common tactics used to deflect blame in such cases, such as blaming the person who reported the harassment or portraying them as the aggressor. They stressed that these approaches downplay the severity of the alleged misconduct. The lawyers made it clear that statements made to the media won’t be accepted as a defense and that they intend to pursue the case fully in court. They also reiterated that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in all workplaces.

Responding to Blake Lively’s accusations, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, stated to TopMob that it’s ironic Lively is claiming Baldoni misused the media, considering her team sent heavily edited documents to The New York Times before even filing the complaint. He added that they are releasing evidence showing a pattern of bullying and threats aimed at taking control of the film, consistent with Lively’s past behavior of using others to deliver threats and get her way. He claims they have proof to support these claims.

On January 16th, Heath Baldoni, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm, Vision PR.

The lawsuit, obtained by TopMob News, alleges civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy against all defendants. Lively and Reynolds are specifically accused of breaching an implied agreement to act in good faith and interfering with business relationships and potential financial gains.

The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory campaign against her. They claim Lively took control of the It Ends With Us movie promotion and, with the help of Reynolds, Sloane, and others, attempted to damage their reputations in the press after receiving criticism for her marketing strategies. Lively maintains she followed Sony’s approved marketing plan.

The lawsuit further alleges the defendants collaborated with The New York Times to publish a damaging and false news report, though the outlet defends its reporting.

In a statement to TopMob, Freedman stated that Blake Lively was either misinformed by her team or deliberately misrepresented the truth.

Lively’s lawyers have responded to a lawsuit filed against her, calling it a typical tactic used by abusers. They argue that Baldoni is attempting to portray Lively as the problem, claiming she took over creative control and caused issues with the cast, after she came forward with evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation.

According to Lively’s team, evidence will demonstrate that others also had negative experiences with Baldoni and the production company, Wayfarer. They also state that Sony specifically asked Lively to oversee the final cut of the film, which ultimately proved successful.

Lively’s lawyers strongly condemned Baldoni’s reaction, accusing him of blaming Lively for the alleged harassment and even suggesting she was responsible due to her appearance. They emphasize that Baldoni is focusing on attacking Lively instead of addressing the evidence of abuse, and they are confident his strategy will fail.

Lawyers for actor Justin Baldoni have released footage from the set of It Ends With Us, arguing it proves he did not behave inappropriately with co-star Blake Lively. They claim the scene was meant to depict a loving connection and that both actors acted professionally and with respect for each other.

However, Lively’s lawyers disagree, stating the video actually supports her claims. They allege that Baldoni improvised all of his actions without discussing them with Lively beforehand.

According to Lively’s team, the video shows her repeatedly trying to create distance and requesting they simply have a verbal exchange. They believe any woman who has experienced inappropriate touching at work will recognize the discomfort Lively displays.

The couple sent a letter to the judge asking that the lead lawyer for the other side, Freedman, be prohibited from speaking publicly about the case. They believe this is necessary to prevent unfair or inappropriate behavior during the legal process.

A seven-minute voice memo reportedly sent by director Baldoni to actress Lively during the filming of It Ends With Us was made public. In the recording, Baldoni seemed to discuss a rooftop scene Lively had revised and how those changes were brought to him in a meeting with Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and singer Taylor Swift. He praised their collaborative creativity, saying, “The three of you together, it’s unbelievable.” Baldoni also appeared to apologize for his initial reaction to the revised script, admitting, “I messed up. I’ll admit and apologize when I’m wrong.”

A court date of March 9, 2026, was scheduled one month after Lively officially sued Baldoni.

According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Stephen Baldoni has updated his lawsuit against Blake Lively, her representatives, and her PR firm, Vision PR. The updated filing now also includes The New York Times. Baldoni claims Lively and her team spent months working together to spread false information to the newspaper. He alleges that The New York Times selectively used and changed communications, removing important context and intentionally piecing them together in a way that was misleading.

Baldoni published a website detailing his lawsuit against Lively, including the official complaint and a chronological overview of key events. This website featured what Baldoni claimed were screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and himself.

This launch occurred just a month after Baldoni’s legal team announced they intended to publicly release all text messages between the parties involved.

In an interview with NBC News on January 2nd, Baldoni’s lawyer stated they wanted to make all evidence available so the public could draw their own conclusions.

Lively’s lawyers have updated her lawsuit, stating that two other women who worked on the movie It Ends With Us also felt uncomfortable with actor Justin Baldoni’s behavior on set.

The updated lawsuit, obtained by TopMob News, claims Lively wasn’t the only one to complain. It states that these complaints, along with Lively’s, were documented starting in May 2023, and that Baldoni acknowledged them in writing at the time. The filing emphasizes that, contrary to what the defendants are claiming, Baldoni was aware that multiple women were uncomfortable with his actions.

The names of these two witnesses haven’t been revealed, with Lively citing a hostile environment of threats and harassment created by the defendants’ response to her claims.

Baldoni’s attorney, Freedman, dismissed the updated complaint as relying on unreliable hearsay and suggested the unnamed women are no longer willing to support Lively’s accusations.

Following accusations from Baldoni that Sloane spread false and damaging rumors portraying him as a “sexual predator” and ran a negative campaign at Lively’s behest, Sloane requested the lawsuit be dismissed.

According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claims the accusations against her are completely unfounded and that she was brought into the lawsuit only to divert attention from the claims made by Lively.

Lively hired Nick Shapiro, a former Deputy Chief of Staff for the CIA, to help with the legal strategy for the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit happening in New York. According to a member of her legal team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, this news was reported by Variety on February 28th.

I’ve been following David Shapiro’s career for a while now, and it’s really impressive. He started with the CIA back in 2013 during the Obama years, and then moved into the private sector. He spent time at Visa as their VP of Global Security and Communications, before becoming the Global Head of Crisis Management at Airbnb. After three years helping Airbnb navigate challenges, he decided to strike out on his own and launched 10th Avenue Consulting LLC – a really smart move, I think.

According to documents obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times has asked a court to dismiss them from a $400 million lawsuit. The lawsuit also involves Lively, Baldoni, and the company Sloane and Sloane.

In a court filing, the newspaper claimed that Baldoni’s team was presenting a biased account that had attracted significant media attention, but insisted that The Times shouldn’t be involved in the conflict. According to court documents obtained by Deadline, The New York Times’ lawyers also pointed out that Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer initially sued the paper for $250 million, but that case was dropped after they expanded the lawsuit to $400 million and included The New York Times as a defendant.

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has temporarily paused the exchange of information and documents in a case involving The New York Times, following the newspaper’s request. Court documents obtained by TopMob News show the judge agreed to halt the process while he reviews The New York Times’ motion to dismiss the case.

Judge Liman stated that the newspaper presented a strong argument that its motion to dismiss should be successful, and he doesn’t believe the opposing side, led by Baldoni, will be harmed by this temporary pause.

A New York Times spokesperson told TopMob News that they are pleased with the court’s decision, which acknowledges the important First Amendment rights at stake and prevents Baldoni from unnecessarily burdening the newspaper with requests in a case they believe should not have been filed.

Following accusations from Baldoni that Lively was using her friendship with Taylor Swift to gain more control over the film It Ends With Us – and after Baldoni’s lawyers attempted to subpoena Swift – a spokesperson for the singer responded.

A spokesperson confirmed to TopMob News on May 9th that Taylor Swift had no involvement in the movie. They stated she wasn’t part of the casting process, didn’t contribute to the music, and never reviewed any version of the film or offer feedback.

Taylor Swift allowed the film to use her song, ‘My Tears Ricochet,’ explained her representative. They believe this legal request for documents isn’t about the actual case, but rather an attempt to use Swift’s fame for publicity and sensational headlines, just like many other artists who licensed music for the film – a total of nineteen others.

Baldoni’s attorneys withdrew their request later that month, per Lively’s legal team.

The judge threw out the lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Sloane, Sloane’s company Vision PR, and The New York Times. The judge determined that Baldoni and his lawyers didn’t provide enough evidence to support claims of defamation or attempted illegal coercion.

After the lawsuit against her was dropped, Lively shared on Instagram that she understands the distress of being sued in retaliation, and the humiliation that often comes with it. She noted that while she was able to successfully defend herself, many people don’t have the means to do so.

She expressed her love and thanks to everyone who supported her, saying she was grateful for both those she knew and those she didn’t, and would always continue to support them in return.

Baldoni’s lawyer told TopMob News that Lively’s claim of winning is incorrect.

The lawyer stated that this case centers around false claims of sexual harassment, subsequent retaliation, and a fabricated attempt to damage someone’s reputation. Ms. Lively’s legal team has called this alleged campaign ‘untraceable’ because they can’t provide evidence of something that didn’t occur.

Blake Lively gave a deposition at her lawyers’ office in New York. Despite reports describing it as a tense confrontation with Jason Baldoni, her legal team quickly challenged claims that she required a large group of supporting witnesses.

According to Lively’s lawyer, Baldoni was present in the room with the other people she was suing, and their lawyers too.

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2026-04-03 01:52