Blake Lively‘s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni get sniped!
The actress has gotten not one, but ten out of her thirteen claims against the director thrown out, including harassment and conspiracy, as the remaining three claims now proceed to trial as planned.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni got into their legal rift during the production and promotion of their 2024 movie “It Ends With Us” with the actress accusing him of creating a hostile work environment, and improvising unwanted physical intimacy.
Blake Lively Left With Three Claims Against Justin Baldoni Ahead Of Their Trial
A federal judge today, April 2, dismissed more than half of the claims Lively had made in her lawsuit against Baldoni in a 152-page ruling. Judge Lewis Liman’s judgment reportedly did not come as a shock because the parties involved have seemingly exhausted every attempt at settling out of court via mediation.
As for the remaining three claims, which include breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation, the judge cleared them to proceed to trial, set to start in May. Before Liman’s pronouncement, there had been issues about the jurisdiction under which Lively’s case was filed.
The actress notably filed her complaints under the California laws, while the events she identified reportedly occurred right outside the state. Lively had claimed that Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios production company launched an online smear campaign against her in 2024 for breaking her silence on the toxic work environment, per Deadline.
The ‘Gossip Girl’ Actress Tried To Prevent Dismissal Of Her Claims
It might be fair to declare that the actress indeed saw these dismissals coming, as The Blast shared on March 13 that she filed a letter imploring Judge Liman to let the lawsuit run its course rather than end the case through another legal means.
The actress’s lawyers referenced a new ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which supports their argument that the law court must focus on evidence uncovered during litigation rather than the language of the complaint.
They insisted that striking out the case outright would not serve the efficient or fair resolution of the dispute if evidence gathered during the case may be enough to drive the point home. Lively and Baldoni may get to testify if the case goes to trial by May.
Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni May Still Get A Chance At Mediation
Legal experts have weighed in on the case, stating that despite the failure of their earlier six-hour court-ordered mediation with Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave, they may still find a way to negotiate behind the scenes.
According to Steven Jensen, a trial attorney at Parker and McConkie who is not connected to the case, settlement talks quietly away from the cameras often occur while both sides prepare for a trial. While negotiations may be ongoing, lawyers on both sides will resume discovery and begin preparing pre-trial motions, which will prepare the ground for permissible evidence at trial.
Lively and Baldoni’s attorneys will also need to draw a grand plan for trial, including witness rosters, cross-examination of defense witnesses, exhibits to use, jury consulting and questionnaires, opening and closing arguments, and other elements. Jensen emphasized that in a typical setting, many cases settle before heading to trial, and this may be the same for the actress and her co-star turned arch nemesis.
The Director’s Conversation With The Actress Was Revealed
Before the storm erupted between Lively and Baldoni, the co-stars enjoyed an amicable relationship, according to a voice note of the “Jane the Virgin” star raving about Lively’s beauty.
As noted by The Blast, the mother of four had sent a picture of her costume fitting to the director, who was beyond grateful to be found worthy of such a cool gesture. He confessed that he instantly got butterflies when he saw the images, adding that she looked super good in her costume, which would go well with the theme of their movie.
In another voice note, Lively was heard confiding in Baldoni about her schedule concerns alongside her motherly roles, implying that he gave her a soft-landing regarding filming times for “It Ends With Us.” She informed Baldoni that she was talking to him as a friend and not as a director, but if he decided not to tweak the schedule for their film, she would gladly oblige his directions.
Justin Baldoni Convinced Blake Lively To Take The Role In ‘It Ends With Us’
The actor had earlier informed Lively about how fans of Colleen Hoover’s novel rallied behind Abigail Cowen as the top choice, but he set his gaze on Lively.
He explained to Lively that while the fans had valid claims, he would not want to put someone so young at the center of a movie he was making. He continued that pairing Lively with a younger actress would strengthen the plot and draw the fans in, so he went for Isabela Ferrer to play the younger version of Lively’s character, Lily.
The director raved about Ferrer’s depth and striking resemblance to Lively compared to Cowen, whom Baldoni stated that casting her might require “a bit of a suspension of disbelief.” Baldoni then declared his excitement about featuring alongside Lively in the production, who is smart, funny, and a very great writer.
What would the May trial hold for Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively?