Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni Case: Judge Dismisses Actor's $400 Million Claim, Still Targeted for Sexual Harassment

Justin Baldoni continues to sink into his legal battle with Blake Lively . A US judge on Monday dismissed the director's estimated $400 million lawsuit against the American actress, as the two have been battling in court for months amid accusations of sexual harassment by the actress.

Last December, the New York Times revealed that Blake Lively had filed a complaint against Justin Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath for what she said were inappropriate behavior and comments during the filming of the movie "It Ends with Us."

Blake Lively, for example, accused the actor, who also directed the film, of improvising kisses that were not in the original script , and the producer of watching her topless in her dressing room when she expressed discomfort.

In a statement sent to the New York Times, Bryan Freedman, lawyer for Baldoni and Wayfarer, the production studio behind the film, had notably denounced accusations that were "completely false, scandalous and deliberately salacious."

The Baldoni camp then filed a lawsuit in January in New York civil court against the actress, her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times, claiming that the media outlet had taken sides in its coverage of Blake Lively, the star of "Gossip Girl."

But on Monday, Manhattan District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman "dismissed" the Baldoni camp's complaint, stating that the New York Times had only published information contained in a complaint initially filed by the actress in a California court, that it had taken care to request a response from the opposing party and to include it in the article.

In his complaint, Justin Baldoni also alleged that Blake Lively, whose Instagram account boasts over 43 million followers, had sought to "steal" and "take control" of the film and its promotion. He also accused Ryan Reynord of falsely portraying him as a sexual predator.

Judge Liman also rejected these arguments on Monday. In a statement released by some American media outlets, the Lively clan's legal team welcomed a "total victory" against Justin Baldoni's "retaliation complaint." Contacted by AFP, Justin Baldoni's lawyer did not immediately respond.

Based on the best-selling novel by American writer Colleen Hoover, the film "Never Say Never Again" grossed more than $350 million at the box office in 2024, making it one of the biggest hits of the year.