Blake Lively seeks to end Justin Baldoni’s ‘vengeful’ US$400mn defamation lawsuit

Actress Blake Lively asked a US judge last week to dismiss actor Justin Baldoni’s US$400 million (13.5 billion baht) defamation lawsuit, calling it a “vengeful” attempt to weaponise the federal courts after she accused him of sexual harassment.

- JONATHAN STEMPEL

In a filing in Manhattan federal court, lawyers for Lively called Baldoni’s lawsuit part of a “sinister campaign to bury and destroy” Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment and retaliation, including through her lawsuit against him.

“The law prohibits weaponising defamation lawsuits” such as Baldoni’s to deprive Lively of her right to speak out, her lawyers added.

Lively is also seeking unspecified triple and punitive damages for reputational and emotional harm that Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and other defendants allegedly caused.

Lawyers for Baldoni did not immediately respond to requests for comment. He and Lively have forcefully denied each other’s respective allegations.

The feud began publicly in December, when Lively accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her while filming the 2024 movie It Ends With Us, in which Baldoni co-starred and directed, and then trying to smear her reputation.