A $400 million defamation lawsuit filed by Justin Baldoni against Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds was thrown out by a judge on Monday. This lawsuit was part of the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, who were former co-stars.
Back in January, Baldoni brought the lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, claiming that the celebrity couple was intentionally trying to ruin his reputation and career by allegedly taking over his movie, “It Ends With Us.”
Baldoni’s complaint escalated the ongoing legal battle stemming from the film that Baldoni directed and co-starred in with Lively.
The judge’s ruling stated that providing Lively’s complaint to the New York Times did not constitute defamation because it fell under the fair report privilege, protecting the publication of such legal documents.
As their legal fight unfolded, Baldoni’s team published a website containing texts and an alleged timeline relating to Lively’s claims.
The website, a separate leaked voice note that Baldoni sent to Lively and several public statements made by Baldoni’s lawyer were the subject of several court hearings in recent months.
“It Ends With Us” starred Lively and Baldoni as an on-screen couple and featured instances of domestic violence.
Rumours of their fractured professional relationship began percolating during the film’s 2024 press tour.
