Justin Baldoni Loses $400 Million Lawsuit Against Blake Lively After Missing Key Court Deadline

Justin Baldoni has officially lost his $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively after a judge dismissed the case due to a missed legal deadline.

The pair have been locked in a tense legal battle for months, which began when Lively, known for her role in Gossip Girl, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni late last year. The two co-starred in the 2024 film It Ends With Us, but their professional relationship quickly fell apart after the movie’s release.

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and claimed he led a smear campaign to damage her reputation, sparking a very public feud that made headlines worldwide.

In response, Baldoni filed his own defamation lawsuit for $400 million against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times.

But in June, the judge dismissed his case after Baldoni and his legal team failed to update and resubmit their claims of contract interference by the court’s June 23 deadline. The oversight effectively ended his legal push, and Lively later acknowledged the ruling in a post shared on her Instagram Story.

Judge Lewis Linman had previously given Baldoni’s side more time to fix and clarify their claims after determining the original filing lacked merit. The judge also noted that Lively’s New York Times article — which Baldoni referenced in his lawsuit — was protected under laws guaranteeing freedom of speech and legitimate reporting privileges.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni starred alongside each other in It All Ends With Us Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Following the ruling, a spokesperson for The New York Times said the outlet was pleased with the court’s decision, telling Complex: "We are grateful to the court for seeing the lawsuit for what it was: a meritless attempt to stifle honest reporting."

Now, the case has come to a complete halt. On October 31, Judge Linman signed a new order confirming that Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios co-plaintiffs had missed their final opportunity to revive their claims.

In his latest court filing, the judge pointed out that the plaintiffs had “failed to respond” to an earlier notice sent on October 17 asking why a final judgment should not be entered — effectively ending the case for good.

According to the BBC, Judge Linman reached out to all parties before issuing his final order. Only Lively’s legal team responded, requesting that the judge move forward with a final judgment and keep her claim for legal fees active. The court agreed, granting both requests in her favor.

This means Baldoni’s side not only lost the case but may now be responsible for covering part of Lively’s legal costs, depending on how the court rules in the next phase.

The star has his defamation case effectively cancelled as of October 31 Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty Images

Despite the setback, Baldoni still has the option to appeal the court’s decision after the issue of legal costs is finalized. However, for now, the dismissal marks a major blow to his legal team’s efforts.

Over the summer, Lively and her legal representatives celebrated the court’s decision, calling it a “victory” and describing Baldoni’s lawsuit as a “sham” from the start. In response, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, criticized their reaction, calling it a “predictable declaration of victory” and insisting that it was “false.”

"While the Court dismissed the defamation related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations," he said.

Freedman went on to add: "Ms. Lively's own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking."

Meanwhile, Lively’s own sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni remains active and is currently being heard in Manhattan federal court, where new evidence and testimony are expected to surface in the coming months.