Justin Baldoni, director and co-star of It Ends With Us, has suffered a significant legal blow in his ongoing multi-million dollar legal battle with co-star Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
On October 31, U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman formally dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit, marking a procedural end to his case. The ruling came after Baldoni and his team failed to file an amended complaint after the judge dismissed the lawsuit back in June.
Judge Liman had issued a warning on October 17, notifying the involved parties that he was considering finalizing the dismissal of the case. Blake Lively was the only one to respond, requesting the judge to finalize the dismissal while keeping her request for legal fees active. The judge granted her request, and now, Baldoni’s countersuit is officially over, though he still has the option to appeal the decision.
This latest ruling marks a significant setback in a bitter legal dispute that has captured the public’s attention. The controversy began last December when Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us. Lively also claimed that Baldoni had orchestrated a “coordinated effort to destroy her reputation” after she spoke out about the alleged harassment.
In response, Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a countersuit for defamation and extortion against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, Leslie Sloane, seeking $400 million in damages.
Additionally, Baldoni filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times regarding its coverage of Lively’s complaint, but this was also dismissed by the judge in June.
Following the ruling, Lively’s attorneys celebrated the dismissal as a “complete vindication,” referring to Baldoni’s countersuit as a “sham.” Lively also posted on Instagram, emphasizing her commitment to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice.
While Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit has now ended, Lively’s original lawsuit against him is still ongoing and is scheduled for trial in March 2026. The upcoming trial will continue to spotlight the conflict between the two actors, ensuring that this high-profile saga is far from over.
