Actress Blake Lively vowed to keep fighting after a a federal judge rejected most of his requests in her sexual harassment lawsuit against her director and “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni.
In a 152-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman on Thursday dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 claims against Baldoni, including harassment, defamation and conspiracy. He authorized three other claims to proceed to trial expected to begin in May: breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation.
Lively posted a statement on her Instagram Stories on Friday, saying she was grateful for the court’s decision because the case would now go to trial and she would have the opportunity to “say [her] the story in its entirety.”
“The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, but I filed this action because of the pervasive REPRESOLATION I have faced, and continue to face, for demanding, privately and professionally, a safe working environment for myself and others,” Lively wrote in the statement.
Lively then spoke to other potential victims, encouraging them to talk about “retaliation and digital warfare” even though it can be “unfathomably painful.”
“The physical pain caused by digital violence is real,” Lively said. “It’s abuse. And it’s everywhere. Not just in the news, but in your communities and your schools.”
Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni has been making headlines since 2024, when she accused her “It Ends With Us” co-star of sexual harassment during the film’s production. The actress also alleged that Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, retaliated against her after she complained of alleged misconduct on the set of the film, a domestic violence drama based on a novel by Colleen Hoover.
Lively’s lawyers said their client was “kissed, fondled and touched” without her consent. Baldoni was “consistently inappropriate” and crossed “boundaries” on set, her lawyers argued.
Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach, two of Baldoni’s lawyers, said they were “pleased” that Liman had rejected the sexual harassment allegations.
“These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful consideration of the facts, the law and the extensive evidence provided,” Shapiro and Bach said. “What remains is a significantly reduced case, and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.” »
On Thursday, Liman ruled that Lively could not pursue 10 of her claims under the federal civil rights law, in part because she was an independent contractor and not an employee.
In a statement released Friday, Lively’s attorney, Mike Gottlieb, said the court ruled that Lively “provided evidence to go to trial on her primary allegations,” including that she spoke privately about Baldoni’s behavior on set, that she reasonably believed that behavior constituted unlawful sexual harassment, and that Baldoni and his production company “crossed the line and took actions that damaged her reputation and career.”
Gottlieb said the court rejected some of Lively’s claims because of legal issues “rather than an endorsement of the defendants’ conduct.”
“The retaliation Ms. Lively faced for privately advocating a safe work environment has always been at the heart of her case,” Gottlieb said. “That’s why she filed the complaint.”
In her statement, Lively expressed gratitude to those who came before her and others who spoke out about conversations and social change.
“I will never stop doing my part in the fight to expose systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence and retaliate against victims,” she wrote. “I know it’s a privilege to be able to stand up. I won’t waste it.”
The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18.
