Blake Lively bashed as she drops emotional distress claims after Justin Baldoni seeks mental health files

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Blake Lively has withdrawn two key claims from her lawsuit against actor-director Justin Baldoni, signaling a strategic shift in her ongoing legal fight surrounding the filming of 'It Ends with Us'.

Court records filed on June 2 confirm that the 'Gossip Girl' star has requested dismissal of her claims of both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Blake Lively's team calls dropping claims a 'legal strategy'

Blake Lively’s legal team is choosing to pull back on the emotional distress claims in her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, calling it a deliberate “legal strategy” to keep the case more focused and manageable as it heads to trial.

According to the letter obtained by Variety, Lively, 37, is trying to drop her claims against Baldoni for intentional and negligent emotional distress. The decision comes after Baldoni’s legal team pushed for access to Lively’s medical and mental health records. 

Baldoni’s team explained in the court filing, “Instead of complying with the Medical RFPs, Ms. Lively’s counsel recently advised us, in writing, that Ms Lively is withdrawing her infliction of emotional distress claims.”

However, they added, “Ms Lively has refused the Wayfarer Parties’ reasonable request that the withdrawal of such claims be with prejudice. She is only willing to withdraw her claims without prejudice. In other words, Ms. Lively wants to simultaneously (a) refuse to disclose the information and documents needed to disprove that she suffered any emotional distress and/or that the Wayfarer Parties were the cause; and (b) maintain the right to re-file her IED Claims at an unknown time in this or some other court after the discovery window has closed.”

According to Variety, Baldoni’s legal team is asking Lively to sign a HIPAA release so they can review her therapy records and other related documents.

The filing stated, “By alleging that she suffered physical and emotional injuries, Ms. Lively has placed her physical and mental condition at issue and, in turn, must produce relevant information and documents (including) psychiatric records.”

In other words, Baldoni’s team says, “Ms Lively has waived any doctor-patient privilege.” 

In her initial complaint, Lively claimed that Baldoni’s actions during and after the filming of 'It Ends With Us' took a heavy “emotional impact on her” and “has been extreme, not only affecting her, but her family, including her husband and four children.”

Blake Lively’s legal team slams Justin Baldoni’s lawyers for 'press stunt'

Blake Lively’s legal representatives are pushing back against Baldoni’s recent court filings, accusing his team of turning routine litigation moves into a public relations spectacle.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, called Baldoni’s actions “a press stunt,” by saying, “Once again, this is a routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt. We are doing what trial lawyers do, preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it. They are doing what they do, desperately seeking another tired round of tabloid coverage.”

Despite Lively’s withdrawal of some emotional distress claims, her legal team confirmed she still includes emotional distress as part of broader allegations in the ongoing lawsuit, which also covers harassment, retaliation, and seeks significant compensatory damages.  

The public conflict between the 'Gossip Girl' star and Baldoni ignited last December when Lively accused the 'It Ends with Us' director and co-star of misconduct on set and launching a retaliatory smear campaign, allegations that Baldoni denies.

In response, Baldoni filed a countersuit in January naming Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicists, accusing them of extortion, defamation, and more.

The legal dispute between them is still unfolding, with a court date officially set for March 2026.

Blake Lively faces backlash after dropping emotional distress claims against Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively is facing intense online backlash after reports surfaced that she has officially dropped her emotional distress claims against actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni.

The news has ignited a wave of criticism, with many users questioning Lively’s motives and slamming her character.

One user wrote on X, “She. Is. A. Liar! Besides that, she's an awful human being.”

Another added, “The level of narcissism in this woman needs to be studied asap!”

Some took aim at her personal life as well, with one person commenting, “She’s a terrible person and her husband is a sociopath.”

Supporters of Baldoni also expressed frustration, accusing Lively of damaging his reputation without cause. “The only person who has suffered intentional infliction of emotional distress and embarrassment humiliation is Justin Baldoni because of all the lies that Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds created about him,” someone noted.

Another added, “She didn't expect him to fight back and now she's caught.”

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