Judge Dismisses Major Claims in Blake Lively Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni

New Delhi, April 3, 2026: In a significant legal development for Hollywood, a federal judge in Manhattan has dismissed the majority of actor Blake Lively’s claims against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. On April 2, 2026, Judge Lewis J. Liman threw out 10 of the 13 claims filed by Lively, effectively stripping the sexual harassment allegations from the upcoming trial.

While the ruling is a substantial victory for Baldoni, it does not mark the end of the legal battle. The case is now narrowing its focus toward allegations of retaliation and breach of contract, which are still set to go before a jury next month.

The Legal Technicality: Employee vs. Independent Contractor

The dismissal of the sexual harassment claims was largely based on a specific legal distinction. Judge Liman determined that Lively was working as an independent contractor rather than a traditional employee during the production of the Colleen Hoover adaptation.

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sexual harassment protections in the workplace primarily apply to employees. Because Lively did not meet that specific legal definition, the judge ruled she was not entitled to bring those specific claims under federal law. Furthermore, harassment claims filed under California law were dismissed because the filming took place in New Jersey.

Creative Context and On-Set Conduct

In his 152-page ruling, Judge Liman addressed the specific allegations Lively made regarding Baldoni’s behavior during romantic scenes. Lively had alleged that Baldoni “kissed, nuzzled, and touched” her without consent and made inappropriate comments about her appearance.

The judge noted that while such behavior might constitute a hostile work environment in a corporate setting, the context of a film set is unique:

“Creative artists… must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment.”

The ruling suggested that much of the physical conduct occurred during “acting” or “improvising” within the scope of their characters’ relationship, making it difficult to prove it was directed at Lively personally rather than her character, Lily Bloom.

What Remains: The Trial for Retaliation

Despite the dismissal of the harassment claims, Lively’s legal team maintains that the “core” of the case remains intact. The three surviving claims heading to trial on May 18, 2026, include:

• Retaliation: Alleging that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, orchestrated a digital smear campaign to damage Lively’s reputation.
• Breach of Contract: Related to specific rider agreements during production.
• Aiding and Abetting Retaliation.

Lively’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, stated that the case remains focused on the “extraordinary steps” taken to destroy Lively’s reputation after she voiced concerns about on-set safety.

The Background of a “Circus”

The legal feud began shortly after the 2024 release of It Ends With Us, which was a commercial success but was quickly overshadowed by rumors of a rift between its leads. The dispute has involved:

• Countersuits: Baldoni previously filed a $400 million defamation suit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, which was dismissed by the same judge last year.
• Leaked Communications: Unsealed text messages between Lively and high-profile friends like Taylor Swift have been brought into the public record.
• Failed Mediation: The parties attempted to reach a settlement in February 2026, but the talks were unsuccessful.

With the trial date looming, both Lively and Baldoni are expected to testify, potentially bringing more behind-the-scenes details of the production’s “hostile” atmosphere into the public eye.