Blake Lively loses key claim in lawsuit against Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively just hit a legal snag in her headline-grabbing battle with Justin Baldoni. A federal judge has tossed out her emotional distress claims, dealing a win to Baldoni ahead of their blockbuster trial in March 2025.

The case revolves around the drama behind It Ends with Us, the film Baldoni directed and co-produced with his company, Wayfarer Studios. Lively’s lawsuit includes a long list of claims, including allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation—but it’s the emotional distress piece that just got benched.

Lively had asked to voluntarily drop those particular claims, but Judge Lewis J Liman wasn’t having it—at least not without both sides agreeing. In a short but pointed ruling, he said no to the dismissal “without prejudice,” which would have left the door open for Lively to bring them back later. Unless her team files a formal motion, those claims stay in—technically—but can’t be used.

Judge Liman made it clear: if the claims aren’t officially dismissed, Lively won’t be allowed to bring any emotional distress evidence to trial.

Her legal team, clearly not thrilled, fired back. Lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb argued the judge actually denied Wayfarer’s motion and framed the debate as procedural nitpicking. According to them, the claims are no longer needed because emotional distress will still be pursued through other, more serious charges.

In their statement, they also took a swipe at Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, calling their motion a "pointless stunt" and accusing them of playing to the press. They warned that retaliation claims could lead to hefty penalties under California law.

This whole mess started in December 2024, when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni and associates of sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni fired back with a defamation and extortion suit—naming not just Lively, but also her husband Ryan Reynolds and their PR team.

Since then, the case has snowballed, pulling in big names like Taylor Swift, Disney, and Marvel. Rumors of backstage drama during the making of It Ends with Us—a film marketed as a bold look at domestic abuse—only fueled the fire.

Don’t expect a quiet resolution. Both sides seem locked in and ready to go to trial, which is set for March 9, 2026, in New York City. That’s the same courthouse currently hosting the Diddy sex-trafficking trial.