California Court Dismisses Justin Baldoni's $400M Defamation Suit Against Blake Lively

Justin Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, which alleged defamation and extortion, has been decisively dismissed by a U.S. District Court judge, who entered a final judgment after Baldoni failed to file an amended complaint. The judge ruled that Lively's sexual harassment claims are legally protected under California law enacted after the #MeToo movement, and Baldoni's counterclaims lacked evidence of malice or defamation. Lively, who initiated the original lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation by Baldoni during the filming of "It Ends with Us," responded to the judge's notice by requesting the case be closed while reserving her right to pursue legal fees, a motion granted by the court. Although Baldoni's defamation suit and his separate $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times were both dismissed earlier, Lively's sexual harassment suit against Baldoni remains active with a trial scheduled for March 2026. Lively expressed her resolve to continue advocating for victims' rights and combating retaliatory lawsuits, highlighting the challenges faced by those without sufficient resources to fight back. The legal defeat is seen as a significant setback for Baldoni, who sought to silence Lively with his high-profile lawsuits but ultimately failed in court.