Judge Dismisses Baldoni's Lawsuit Against Blake Lively: A Hollywood Defamation Battle Ends (For Now)

A US judge has dismissed actor Justin Baldoni’s $1 million defamation lawsuit against actress Blake Lively, who had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of the movie 'It Ends With Us'. Baldoni countersued, alleging that Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, her publicist, and The New York Times had orchestrated a smear campaign to extort him. However, the judge ruled that Baldoni had not provided enough evidence to support his claims of defamation and extortion. "So what we've seen is the countersuit—that is the Justin Baldoni action against Blake Lively—being thrown out by this judge who said that he had not proven that Blake Lively had actually defamed him," explained Carrington Clarke, North America correspondent for ABC News. Despite the dismissal, Baldoni's legal team has until June 23rd to amend the lawsuit and potentially pursue different claims. Lively has reportedly celebrated the ruling as a victory. This case highlights the complexities of defamation lawsuits in the entertainment industry and the high stakes involved.