A federal judge has rejected actress Blake Lively’s sexual harassment allegations in her legal battle against actor and director Justin Baldoni, narrowing down her case concerning the production of their 2024 romantic film “It Ends With Us.”
Following over a year of contentious litigation over the movie, where Lively and Baldoni both starred and the latter directed, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman issued a 152-page ruling on Thursday. During a court session in January, Lively’s attorney, Esra Hudson, contended that Baldoni had repeatedly crossed boundaries by straying from the script and adding unnecessary sexual elements.
Hudson claimed instances such as a dance scene where Baldoni “nuzzled” Lively without her consent and a birthing scene where Lively’s character was pressured to wear minimal clothing and simulate nudity. Liman observed that Baldoni’s alleged actions seemed targeted at Lively’s character in the scenes, not directly at Lively herself.
The judge emphasized that creative individuals, including filmmakers like Baldoni, require room to experiment within the confines of an agreed-upon script without the fear of facing sexual harassment claims. Liman mentioned that Lively could still argue to jurors that Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, retaliated against her post her complaints about misconduct on the film set.
The trial is set to commence on May 18, where Lively aims to demonstrate that Wayfarer Studios engaged in retaliatory actions affecting her professional opportunities following her objections. Lively’s legal team expressed her readiness to testify and highlight the efforts to tarnish her reputation after she advocated for a safe work environment during filming.
Baldoni’s lawyers expressed satisfaction with the dismissal of the sexual harassment claims against him and other defendants, including Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath. They maintained their denial of any wrongdoing and looked forward to presenting their defense as the case now focuses on allegations of retaliation and breach of contract against Wayfarer Studios and the film’s development company. The lawsuit against the crisis public relations firm hired by Wayfarer, The Agency Group PR, will also proceed.
Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni in 2024 has garnered significant attention in Hollywood, involving prominent figures like singer Taylor Swift, model Gigi Hadid, and actor Hugh Jackman, who Lively suggests could provide supporting information for her claims. The case has notably drawn public interest with Liman scheduling the trial date for May 18, pending a decision on the continuation of Lively’s claims.
Despite the dismissal of the sexual harassment charges, Liman acknowledged that there might have been sufficient evidence for jurors to consider Lively’s experiences, including discomfort due to remarks on her physical appearance. However, as Lively was classified as an independent contractor, not an employee, she could not pursue those claims under federal civil rights law. Baldoni countered Lively’s assertions by stating that he promptly addressed her concerns and had the right to engage a crisis management firm following her public criticisms.
The dispute surfaced in 2024 when Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department and subsequently filed a lawsuit, leading to a New York Times article titled “‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” Baldoni retaliated by suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation, alleging they orchestrated a smear campaign against him. However, Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation case against Lively and Reynolds last June, along with his defamation suit against the Times.
The movie “It Ends With Us,” where Lively played a flower shop owner who marries Baldoni’s character, a neurosurgeon with abusive tendencies, grossed over $351 million globally, despite receiving mixed reviews.
