Blake Lively Withdraws Claims Against Justin Baldoni in Ongoing Legal Battle

In a development within the legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Lively has moved to withdraw two claims regarding emotional distress while maintaining other allegations.

Blake Lively has taken steps to withdraw two claims regarding emotional distress in her ongoing legal battle with actor and director Justin Baldoni, which centers around allegations of sexual harassment that surfaced after their collaboration on the film "It Ends With Us." The actress had previously sued Baldoni in December 2024, asserting that his behavior during and after filming caused her to suffer severe emotional stress, distress, and humiliation.

Baldoni’s legal team had requested access to Lively’s medical records, including therapy notes, to aid their defense against her claims. In documents seen by Variety, Lively is seeking to drop her claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. As a result, the court will ultimately determine whether to dismiss these claims or require Lively to disclose her mental health information. Baldoni's representatives have so far refrained from commenting on the situation.

According to Baldoni's documentation, Lively's counsel informed them that she intends to withdraw her emotional distress claims. They commented that Lively refused to agree that this withdrawal would be with prejudice, potentially allowing her to refile these claims in the future. Lively’s legal team contends that Baldoni’s recent filing represents a publicity maneuver while asserting that Lively continues to pursue allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, alongside previous claims for substantial compensatory damages under California law.

In an earlier development in the ongoing lawsuit, Baldoni filed a counter-suit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. The turbulent relationship between Lively and Baldoni stems from their work on "It Ends With Us," an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's popular novel that was released last summer, and continues to be fraught with complications.

In January, singer Taylor Swift was mentioned in connection to the court proceedings when she was summoned to respond to allegations that she had influenced script changes suggested by Lively. However, Swift's representatives clarified her lack of involvement in any casting or creative decisions, leading to the eventual dismissal of the subpoena.