Judge Narrows Scope of Blake Lively Suit Against Justin Baldoni Ahead of May Trial

Federal Judge Lewis J. Liman issued a significant ruling on April 2, 2026, substantially curtailing the scope of the lawsuit filed by actress Blake Lively against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, concerning the film 'It Ends With Us.'

Judge Liman dismissed the bulk of Lively's initial allegations, specifically striking down central claims pertaining to sexual harassment and defamation, thereby streamlining the case for a focused trial. The court determined that Lively, classified as an independent contractor for the production, was statutorily precluded from pursuing sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Furthermore, the judge analyzed specific alleged physical conduct during a slow-dance scene, concluding that such actions, in the context of creative performance for the film, were not actionable harassment, noting the conduct appeared directed toward Lively's character rather than Lively herself.

The litigation, which has drawn considerable attention following the film's August 2024 release, will now proceed to trial on May 18, 2026, focusing on a narrower set of claims. The remaining allegations set for jury deliberation involve claims of retaliation and breach of contract brought by Lively against the film's producers, including Wayfarer Studios. Lively's legal representation maintains that the trial will center on the alleged coordinated effort by the defendants to tarnish her reputation subsequent to her raising safety concerns on set.

Judge Liman’s 152-page opinion acknowledged the context of the film, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel featuring intimate scenes related to domestic abuse. The judge stated that conduct which might constitute a hostile work environment in a typical setting must be viewed differently when occurring during an acting scene, noting that the alleged physical interactions were not so far outside reasonable expectations for a scene that an inference of hostile treatment based on sex would automatically arise. However, the court did find sufficient direct evidence for the retaliation claims to proceed, requiring a jury to determine if the backlash Lively experienced was organic or the result of deliberate actions by the defendants.

This legal development follows a complex history of cross-litigation, including a $400 million countersuit filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation and extortion, which Judge Liman dismissed in June 2025. The initial dispute became public in December 2024 when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, followed by an exposé detailing allegations of a PR smear machine allegedly orchestrated by Baldoni’s team in response to Lively’s on-set behavior complaints. The narrowing of the case to contract and retaliation issues shifts the focus away from the initial harassment claims, setting the stage for the jury deliberation in late May.