Overview

• U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation and extortion claims; Baldoni’s team chose not to refile the $400 million countersuit after the deadline to amend lapsed.
• Blake Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment, a hostile work environment and a smear campaign remains active and is scheduled for trial in March 2026.
• Judge Liman denied Lively’s bid to shield her private messages with Taylor Swift, granting Baldoni access to those communications during discovery.
• Lively’s representatives hailed the countersuit dismissal as a “total victory” and plan to pursue attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni’s parties.
• Ryan Reynolds has filed a Rule 11 motion seeking sanctions and reimbursement of legal fees from Baldoni’s counsel over what he describes as a meritless lawsuit.