Justin Baldoni's attorney downplayed Blake Lively's optimism after a judge dismissed his client's $400 million lawsuit against the actress.
The filmmaker's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said Blake's "predictable declaration of victory is false."
In a statement shared with People, Blake's legal team called Judge Lewis J. Liman's decision "a total victory and a complete vindication."
Highlights
- Justin Baldoni’s defamation countersuit against Blake Lively was dismissed, with the judge citing legal protections for her claims
- Blake celebrated the ruling and expressed support for women facing s*xual harassment
- Justin’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, vowed to fight back by amending four of his client’s original claims
They added, "As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it."
Blake Lively’s legal team called the dismissal of Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit “a total victory and a complete vindication”
Image credits: Nathan Congleton/Getty Images
Blake herself celebrated the decision on her Instagram stories, writing, "Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us."
She also expressed solidarity with women who lack the resources to "fight back."
Image credits: John Nacion/Getty Images
The Gossip Girl alum said she was "more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story."
In December, Blake filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, accusing him of s*xually harassing her on the set of It Ends With Us and launching a retaliatory smear campaign against her.
Justin Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said Blake’s statement was a “predictable declaration of victory” and called it “false”
Image credits: TODAY
Justin, her co-star and director, denied all accusations and filed a countersuit, seeking $400 million in damages for defamation and extortion. He also sued The New York Times, which first reported on Blake's case against him.
Both cases were dismissed on Monday (June 9). Judge Liman ruled that Blake's s*xual harassment claims were legally protected and couldn't be used as grounds for a defamation lawsuit.
However, Bryan Freedman said Justin's legal team can still revise or amend the original claims and continue to fight back.
In December, Blake sued Justin for s*xual harassment and retaliation, alleging inappropriate conduct on the set of It Ends With Us
Image credits: vancityreynolds
"While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations," the attorney told People magazine.
Specifically, his legal team can amend the claims for breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with a contract. The deadline to do so is June 23, Freedman said.
The attorney added, "This case is about false accusations of s*xual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively's own team conveniently describes as 'untraceable' because they cannot prove what never happened.”
Justin denied all claims and filed a countersuit for defamation and extortion, which was recently dismissed
Image credits: vancityreynolds
"Most importantly, Ms. Lively's own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking."
The lawyer concluded by thanking the "organic show of support from the public" and the "internet sleuth community," who he said followed the case "with discernment and integrity."
Blake's accusations against Justin remain, as the judge has not yet ruled on his motion to dismiss them. The trial is set for March 2026.
Despite the dismissal, Justin’s legal team may amend four of their original claims
Image credits: Columbia Pictures
In her lawsuit, Blake alleges that the 41-year-old improvised unwanted kisses on set, spoke to her about his alleged "p*rnography addiction," and entered her trailer while she was undressed and breastfeeding.
She also claims Justin made disrespectful comments about her weight and called her personal trainer without her knowledge, because he wanted her to lose weight for a scene in which he had to pick her up.
Image credits: Columbia Pictures
Justin's countersuit denied the first claims, depicting text messages that allegedly showed Blake telling her co-star, "I'm just pumping in my trailer if you wanna work out our lines."
Regarding Blake's personal trainer, Justin claimed he had contacted him to ask how much Blake weighed "to ensure safety and avoid injury," citing his "back issues" and "multiple bulging discs."
Freedman thanked the public and “internet sleuths” for supporting his client
Image credits: Late Night with Seth Meyers
Amid her discomfort with Justin's behavior, Blake's lawyers sent an email to Wayfarer Studios—Justin's production company, which produced the film—outlining 17 provisions she requested be fulfilled before she was back on set, or she would take legal action.
The actress' lawsuit states that Wayfarer Studios responded by acknowledging that their "perspective differs in many aspects" but saying that her requests were "not only reasonable but also essential for the benefit of all parties involved."
Image credits: blakelively
The A Simple Favor star claims that Justin and his team orchestrated a media smear campaign against her after they met to discuss her requests.
Blake’s s*xual harassment case stands, and their trial is set for March 2026
Image credits: CBS Mornings
According to Blake, the alleged campaign was evidenced in text messages exchanged between Justin's PR manager and publicist, which appear to reference their involvement in negative news articles about her and the implementation of a "TikTok strategy."
Justin alleged that these messages were part of an "unverified and self-serving narrative" that used "cherry-picked and altered communications stripped of necessary context."
In his countersuit, he claimed that it was Blake and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, who were using their power in Hollywood to "destroy" his reputation.
While some netizens voiced support for Justin, others joined Blake in celebrating the ruling
