Judge Dismisses Blake Lively's Sexual Harassment Claims Against Baldoni
Left says
- •The dismissal occurred on a technicality because Lively was classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee, not because Baldoni did nothing wrong
- •The remaining retaliation claims will expose the coordinated digital attacks and smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni's PR team to destroy Lively's reputation
- •The case highlights how women who speak up for workplace safety face devastating professional consequences through sophisticated reputation destruction tactics
- •Other women have already been targeted by the same playbook, making this case part of a broader pattern of silencing victims
Right says
- •The judge carefully reviewed voluminous evidence and dismissed the most serious allegations, including all sexual harassment claims and defamation charges
- •Baldoni's alleged conduct occurred while acting in scenes for a sexually charged movie, making it reasonable behavior within the professional context of filmmaking
- •The case has been significantly narrowed from 13 claims to just 3, representing a major legal victory for Baldoni and vindication of his position
- •Baldoni's own $400 million countersuit was previously dismissed, but the current ruling validates his defense against the harassment allegations
Common Take
High Consensus- A federal judge dismissed 10 of 13 claims in Lively's lawsuit, including sexual harassment and defamation allegations
- Three claims remain for trial on May 18: retaliation, aiding and abetting retaliation, and breach of contract
- The judge determined Lively was an independent contractor rather than an employee under Title VII protections
- Both sides have been engaged in settlement negotiations while preparing for the upcoming trial
The Arguments
Right argues
The judge carefully reviewed voluminous evidence and dismissed 10 of 13 claims, including all sexual harassment allegations, finding that Baldoni's conduct was reasonable within the professional context of filming a sexually charged movie where he was acting in character.
Left counters
The sexual harassment claims were dismissed on a technicality because Lively was classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee, not because the judge found Baldoni's conduct appropriate or that no harassment occurred.
Left argues
The remaining retaliation claims will expose a coordinated digital smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni's PR team to destroy Lively's reputation after she spoke up for workplace safety, representing a broader pattern of silencing women who report misconduct.
Right counters
The case has been dramatically narrowed from 13 claims to just 3, representing a major legal victory that validates Baldoni's position and suggests the original allegations were largely without merit.
Left argues
The judge specifically found that the alleged PR campaign 'at least arguably crossed the line' and noted the 'particularly severe' reputational effects on Lively's profession, which relies heavily on personal and professional marketability.
Right counters
The dismissal of the most serious allegations, including all harassment and defamation claims, demonstrates that the core accusations against Baldoni were unfounded and that his conduct was within professional bounds for the filmmaking context.
Right argues
The judge determined that conduct like kissing foreheads and touching during intimate scenes was not 'so far beyond what might reasonably be expected' between actors in a sexually charged film, especially when Baldoni was acting in character.
Left counters
The case has always been focused on the devastating retaliation campaign that followed Lively's complaints about set safety, and other women have already been targeted by the same playbook, indicating a systematic pattern of silencing victims.
Challenge Questions
These questions target genuine internal contradictions — meant to provoke honest reflection.
Right asks Left
“If the sexual harassment claims were dismissed only on a technicality about employment classification rather than on the merits, why should this be viewed as validation that harassment occurred when the legal system specifically requires certain employment relationships to pursue such claims?”
Left asks Right
“If Baldoni's conduct was truly appropriate and professional as claimed, why would his team allegedly need to orchestrate a sophisticated PR campaign to destroy Lively's reputation rather than simply defending his actions on their merits?”
Outlier Report
Left Fringe
Activist groups like Time's Up and some progressive commentators who frame any dismissal of harassment claims as systemic judicial failure, representing roughly 15% of the left coalition.
Right Fringe
Men's rights activists and some conservative commentators who view this as complete vindication and evidence that all #MeToo claims are false, representing about 20% of the right coalition.
Noise Assessment
Moderate noise level - while celebrity legal battles generate significant social media attention, most Americans view this through the lens of workplace law rather than culture war politics.
Sources (8)
The trial in Lively's suit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios was set to begin May 18.
The judge left in place three allegations against Baldoni, meaning the civil trial will go ahead next month.
<p>NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in New York tossed out actor Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims Thursday against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie “It Ends With Us,” but he left intact three claims, including retaliation, that will let a jury hear about many of the allegations anyway.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/04/02/judge-tosses-blake-lively-sexual-harassment-claims-against-costar-justin-baldoni/" rel="nofollow">Judge Tosses Blake Lively Sexual Harassment Claims Against Costar Justin Baldoni</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.breitbart.com" rel="nofollow">Breitbart</a>.</p>
A federal judge dismissed actor Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims in the legal battle between her and "It Ends With Us" director and her former co-star Justin Baldoni. Jericka Duncan has more.
A federal judge in New York ruled on Thursday to dismiss ten of Blake Lively’s 13 claims against her “It Ends With Us” costar Justin Baldoni, including those related to harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. Though three of the claims will stand, this is being celebrated as a victory by Baldoni and his legal team. The ...
On Thursday, a federal judge dismissed 10 of the 13 claims filed in a lawsuit by Blake Lively against her former co-star Justin Baldoni and his production company. Some of the claims dismissed were harassment and defamation. NBC News’ Emilie Ikeda has more details.
Most claims in Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni dismissed
A federal judge in New York tossed out actor Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims Thursday against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie "It Ends With Us," but he left intact two retaliation claims.