A federal judge has dismissed most of the claims in a sexual harassment lawsuit that actress Blake Lively filed against her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni.
Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of 13 allegations in Lively’s case, including harassment and defamation.
He left in place three claims – breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation – which will now go to a civil trial in New York on 18 May.
The Hollywood legal battle began in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, accusing him of harassment and a smear campaign on the set of their hit movie. He denied it and counter-sued.
A member of Lively’s legal team, Sigrid McCawley, told the BBC the case “has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy” the actress’ reputation.
She noted that the sexual harassment claims were dropped, “not because the defendants did nothing wrong”, but because of a technicality.
Lively plans to testify during the trial, McCawley said, and would continue “to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation”.
In a statement, Baldoni’s legal team said it was “grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence that was provided”.
