“It Ends With Us” actor and director Justin Baldoni’s legal battle with Blake Lively hit a roadblock Monday after a judge dismissed his $400 million countersuit.
Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation in January.
He sought at least $400 million for damages that included lost future income. It also named publicist Leslie Sloane as a defendant.
Baldoni filed his lawsuit about two weeks after Lively sued him and others tied to the film, alleging harassment and that a coordinated campaign was launched to ruin her reputation after she came forward about the poor treatment on set.
Baldoni also sued The New York Times for libel after he accused the newspaper of working with Lively to smear him. That lawsuit was also tossed out by Judge Lewis J. Liman on Monday.
Liman said in the court filing that Baldoni’s legal team can amend the claims of tortious interference with contract and breach of implied covenant by June 23.
“Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times,” Lively’s lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb said in a statement.
They said Baldoni’s lawsuit was a “sham” and that “the court saw right through it.”
“We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation,” Hudson and Gottlieb said.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday.
Last week, a federal judge refused to let Lively dismiss claims of emotional distress on her terms. Lively had offered to drop the claims instead of providing her medical and mental health records as requested by Baldoni’s legal team.
Lively and Baldoni’s trial is scheduled for March 2026.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The post Justin Baldoni’s $400M countersuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds dismissed by judge appeared first on NBC News.
