Blake Lively Case Moves Forward Despite Major Court Setback

A federal judge has dismissed most of Blake Lively’s claims in her lawsuit against actor and director Justin Baldoni, but key parts of the case will still move forward to trial next month.

In a 152-page ruling issued April 2, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of Lively’s 13 claims related to the production of It Ends With Us. The dismissed claims include allegations of sexual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation.

The court’s decision centered in part on Lively’s employment status. Judge Liman found that she worked as an independent contractor rather than an employee, which limited the legal protections available to her under workplace harassment laws. The ruling also stated that several incidents Lively cited—such as physical contact during filming—needed to be evaluated within the context of acting in a film about domestic abuse, concluding that Baldoni was performing within scripted scenes.

Despite the dismissals, Lively’s lawsuit is not over. Her legal team emphasized that the remaining claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting retaliation—are still active and will be decided at trial.

According to Lively, the core of the case now focuses on what she describes as a coordinated effort to damage her reputation after she raised concerns during production. She alleges that Baldoni’s company, Wayfarer Studios, engaged crisis public relations professionals to carry out a retaliatory smear campaign.

Lively responded publicly after the ruling, signaling that she intends to continue pursuing the case. Her attorneys described the decision as narrowing the lawsuit but leaving its “heart” intact.

Baldoni’s legal team has characterized the ruling as a significant win, pointing to the dismissal of the most serious allegations.

The case is scheduled to go to trial on May 18, 2026, in federal court in Manhattan. It will proceed primarily against Wayfarer Studios rather than Baldoni individually. Discovery in the case has drawn attention due to the potential involvement of high-profile figures, including Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift, though Swift has reportedly sought to limit her participation.

The outcome of the trial will determine whether Lively can prove her claims of retaliation and contractual violations tied to the film’s production and aftermath.