"It Ends With Us" actor and director Justin Baldoni's legal battle with Blake Lively hit a roadblock Monday when a federal judge dismissed his $400 million countersuit.
Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation in January.
He sought at least $400 million for damages that included lost future income. It also named publicist Leslie Sloane as a defendant.
Baldoni filed his lawsuit about two weeks after Lively sued him and others tied to the film, alleging harassment and that a coordinated campaign was launched to ruin her reputation after she came forward about allegations of poor treatment on set. An amended complaint from Lively alleged that Baldoni also made other women on set feel uncomfortable.
Baldoni also sued The New York Times for libel after he accused the newspaper of working with Lively to smear him. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman tossed that lawsuit Monday.
Liman said in the court filing that Baldoni's legal team can amend the claims of tortious interference with contract and breach of implied covenant by June 23.
"Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times," Lively’s lawyers Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb said in a statement.
They said Baldoni's lawsuit was a "sham" and that "the court saw right through it."
"We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation," Hudson and Gottlieb said.
A New York Times spokesperson said the newspaper was grateful that the judge "saw the suit for what it was: a meritless attempt to stifle honest reporting."
"Our journalists went out and covered carefully and fairly a story of public importance, and the court recognized that the law is designed to protect just that sort of journalism," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We will continue to stand up in court for our journalism and for our journalists when their work comes under attack.”
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, did not immediately return a request for comment Monday.
The monthslong feud between Baldoni and Lively exploded after the pair wrapped filming of "It Ends With Us," a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s book. Lively alleged in her initial complaint that she was sexually harassed by Baldoni while filming and was targeted after she expressed her concerns.
Lively also accused him of hiring a crisis publicity firm to engage in a “social manipulation campaign” to ruin her reputation. Baldoni has denied the allegations.
Taylor Swift was dragged into the bitter legal battle after Baldoni’s attorney tried to subpoena her as a potential witness. A spokesperson for Swift quickly blasted the subpoena as a way to “use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait.”
Last week, a federal judge refused to let Lively dismiss claims of emotional distress on her terms. Lively had offered to drop the claims instead of providing her medical and mental health records as requested by Baldoni’s legal team.
Lively and Baldoni’s trial is scheduled for March.
