On Monday, a U.S. judge dismissed actor Justin Baldoni's $400 million (S$514 million) defamation lawsuit against actress Blake Lively. The case stemmed from Lively’s allegations that Baldoni sexually harassed her during the filming of the 2024 movie It Ends with Us. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively's statements to a California state agency were legally protected and could not be used as the basis for Baldoni’s defamation claim. The judge also dismissed a related $250 million lawsuit Baldoni filed against The New York Times over its December 21, 2024, article titled ‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.

Judge Liman stated that Baldoni could attempt to bring a narrower lawsuit against Lively based on contract-related matters. Baldoni’s legal team did not comment on the ruling. Lively’s attorneys, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, hailed the decision as a complete victory, calling Baldoni’s lawsuit “a sham” from the start. The original lawsuit was filed in response to Lively's own legal action accusing Baldoni of harassment. She is still seeking unspecified punitive damages, and a trial is scheduled for March 2026.

The New York Times defended its reporting, with spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander saying the court affirmed protections for journalism on matters of public interest. The dispute became public in December when Lively filed a complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department, followed by a lawsuit. Baldoni countersued, claiming that Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, her publicist Leslie Sloane, The Times, and others conspired to ruin his reputation.

Baldoni alleged that Lively attempted to take control of the film’s marketing and then blamed him when it backfired, leading to social media criticism. Lively, in turn, said Baldoni’s lawsuit was a retaliatory attack aimed at silencing her. Judge Liman found Baldoni’s defamation claims weak, noting there was no substantial evidence that Lively or her associates knowingly spread false information. He also ruled that The Times had the right to report what it believed to be a truthful and newsworthy story. Although It Ends with Us received mixed reviews, it earned over $351 million globally, according to Box Office Mojo.