Blake Lively has asked the court to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against her. She’s saying that it’s illegal under California law and is an act of retaliation for her claims of sexual harassment. Her motion, filed on March 20, 2025, relies on California Assembly Bill 933 (AB 933), which protects people who report harassment or discrimination from being sued for defamation afterward.
Lively initially sued Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment during the filming of their movie It Ends With Us and claiming he tried to damage her reputation. Baldoni denied her accusations and filed a countersuit in January 2025, targeting Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist with claims of defamation and more.
California law could protect Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds
According to TMZ, Lively argues that Baldoni’s lawsuit violates AB 933 because it seems designed to silence her and punish her for speaking out. Her legal team points to several legal protections that support her dismissal request, including the litigation privilege, fair report privilege, and special protection for those who report harassment under AB 933. If Lively’s motion is successful, Baldoni could be forced to pay her legal fees and possibly more.
Ryan Reynolds, who is also named in Baldoni’s lawsuit, filed a similar motion to dismiss on March 18, 2025. His lawyers argued that his comments about Baldoni were based on Lively’s claims and are protected as free speech.
The legal situation, which is set to go to trial in March 2026, has become quite complicated. Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that Lively has been harassing and bullying him and his colleagues. His legal team insists that the case should be judged under California law, which Lively’s motion uses to its advantage.
The dispute now involves more than just Lively and Baldoni. Jed Wallace, who is allegedly connected to the smear campaign against Lively, has filed a separate $7 million lawsuit against her, maintaining that he did nothing wrong. Additionally, Stephanie Jones from the PR firm Jonesworks is suing Baldoni and others regarding the end of a contract. This lawsuit has gone far further than many ever thought it would, but this is likely just the beginning.
These multiple lawsuits that originated from the initial harassment claims and the counterclaims show the rising tensions between everyone involved. In those cases, it tends to go way further than just words. Like the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp lawsuit, this is likely to end up in court, with both sides revealing a lot about each other.
Lively’s request for dismissal is an important move but may not go her way. I would honestly be surprised if this was the end of it. I am no lawyer, so I won’t comment on the focus on the protections provided to harassment victims under California law. However, the result of this motion could significantly affect the case’s direction and the legal treatment of sexual harassment claims in the entertainment industry.
Published: Mar 20, 2025 6:23 PM UTC