Blake Lively has attempted to drop her claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress against director Justin Baldoni, who counter-sued her for civil extortion and defamation after allegations of harassment arose. The court is yet to decide on her withdrawal, as the legal battle continues to unfold.
Blake Lively Withdraws Emotional Distress Claims Against Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively Withdraws Emotional Distress Claims Against Justin Baldoni
The actress has retracted two claims amid ongoing legal disputes with the director following their work on It Ends With Us.
Actress Blake Lively has filed to retract two of her claims against director Justin Baldoni during their contentious legal battle that emerged after their collaboration on the film It Ends With Us. Initially, Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign against her. Recent documents filed by Baldoni’s legal team indicate that Lively is attempting to drop claims pertaining to intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
As part of Baldoni's defense, his team requested access to Lively’s medical records, including therapy notes, to counter her claims of suffering "severe emotional distress and pain." Lively’s legal representation expressed that the actress is streamlining her case, while maintaining allegations of emotional distress within broader accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation.
In response to Lively’s withdrawal, Baldoni's lawyers noted that she chose not to comply with their request to withdraw the claims with prejudice, leaving the door open for potential re-filing. They argued that this strategy exposes them to new damages claims under California law.
Both parties have been embroiled in a legal feud since the release of It Ends With Us, a film based on Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel. Lively, who portrayed the lead character Lily Bloom, witnessed her story intersect closely with themes of domestic abuse.
Additionally, the case took an interesting turn when pop superstar Taylor Swift was summoned to a US court due to alleged involvement in the film's script edits by Lively. Swift's representatives quickly dismissed the claims of her engagement in casting or creative decisions as unfounded, leading to the subpoena being dropped shortly after.
With ongoing developments in this high-profile case, the court's decision regarding Lively's withdrawal remains to be seen, continuing the complex narrative of dispute among the involved parties.
