Justin Baldoni Moves to Toss Blake Lively Harassment Lawsuit Before 2026 Trial

Justin Baldoni’s legal team is asking a federal court to dismiss Blake Lively’s se**** harassment lawsuit before it goes to trial in March 2026. Court documents reviewed by Variety show that Baldoni’s lawyers filed a motion for summary judgment Wednesday night, claiming Lively’s complaints are mostly a “litany of minor grievances” that do not meet the legal threshold for harassment.

Lively filed the lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, along with producers and publicists involved in the film. She alleges she faced retaliation after raising concerns about conduct on set. Part of her claim centers on a social media “smear campaign,” where Instagram commenters called her a “bully” and a “mean girl.”

Baldoni’s lawyers argue that these actions do not constitute an “adverse employment action,” which is required to prove retaliation. They say that any steps taken by Baldoni and his team were defensive, meant to protect their reputations rather than to punish Lively.

“Baldoni sought the advice of a crisis-management public relations firm, as any responsible person in his position would do,” the motion states. “He did so for the benefit of both his professional reputation and the newly released film. He relied on media professionals to boost his image and assure that any coverage would be balanced and accurate. None of that is against the law.”

Lively’s team has presented text messages from Baldoni’s publicists showing they were tracking social media reactions and attempting to “boost” posts favorable to Baldoni while critical of Lively.

Previously, Baldoni and associates filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. That case was dismissed, with the court ruling that a person cannot sue someone for filing a lawsuit against them.

The summary judgment motion references evidence collected during discovery, though much of it is redacted due to confidentiality rules.

Separately, social media consultant Jed Wallace sued Lively in Texas, claiming she harmed his reputation by linking him to Baldoni’s alleged smear campaign.

That case was dismissed because the court said it lacked jurisdiction over Lively, who lives in New York. Similarly, Lively’s claims against Wallace were dismissed in New York, as that court does not have authority over him, since he lives in Texas.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!