On Monday, June 9, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios’ countersuit against Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, in which he accused them of defamation and extortion. He also dismissed the defamation suit against the New York Times, which reported on Lively’s original complaint against Baldoni (here’s a longer recap of the various allegations between the It Ends With Us co-stars).
To say this is a win for Blake Lively is an understatement. It doesn’t mean that she will necessarily win her suit against Baldoni—the trial is still set for March 2026—but it’s gotta feel good to no longer have the specter of a $400 million lawsuit hanging over your head. On Instagram, Lively released a statement thanking the many organizations that voiced their support for her motion to dismiss his case against her.
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us. While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back. I’m 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,” she wrote.
The day the news of the dismissal broke, an insider revealed to People that Lively had “cried with relief” after hearing of the dismissal. “She’s obviously relieved. They both are,” said another source, referring to Lively and Reynolds, adding, “She feels vindicated” and that “Everyone [on the legal team] is happy.”
In a statement, Lively’s lawyers said, “today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication…as we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages.”
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