Blake Lively vows not to ‘waste’ her privilege after ‘painful’ ruling in Justin Baldoni case
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: After the court dismissed the majority of Blake Lively's allegations against Justin Baldoni, the actress is reportedly ready to face her ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star during their next trial.
The court, following lengthy proceedings, on Thursday, April 2, dismissed all but three of her claims against Baldoni.
Lively had filed a s****l harassment case against Baldoni in December 2024, but the dismissal of her claims landed a major blow to the 'Gossip Girl' star.
Shortly after the ruling, the actress responded to the court's decision through a social media post.
Lively says lawsuit was the 'last thing' she wanted
Lively and her lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, took to Instagram to register their take on the court’s ruling after 10 out of her 13 allegations were dismissed, including harassment, defamation, and conspiracy.
“I will never stop doing my part in fighting to expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence and retaliate against victim,” Lively wrote on Instagram stories.
“I know it's a privilege to be able to stand up. I will not waste it,” she added.
In a lengthy statement, she wrote, “I’m grateful for the Court’s ruling, which allows the heart of my case to be presented to a jury next month, and for the ability to finally tell my story in full at trial, for my own sake, but also for those who don't have the same opportunity to... many of whom I have known and loved deeply in my life, and the countless I'll never know”
“The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, but I brought this case because of the pervasive retaliation I faced, and continue to, for privately and professionally asking for a safe working environment for myself and others,” Lively continued.
“I hope the Court's decision shows others that, as unfathomably painful as it is, you can speak up,” she stated.
Lively further added that although the decision to open up was met with taboo, this is not the first time someone has raised such concerns.
“My claims won’t be the first or last time you’ll see examples of the extreme dangers of retaliation and digital warfare. And it often won’t be directed at celebrities or those who may be able to speak up.”
Blake Lively’s legal team accuse defendants of destroying her reputation
Besides the actress, her legal team also came forward to highlight the key points of the case.
“This case has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial,” Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively’s legal team, told Page Six in a statement on Thursday.
McCawley said that the biggest win of the case for Lively is that “the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted.”
The lawyer further said that Lively “looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation.”
Allegations of breach of contract, retaliation to be pursued: Judge
While the court dismissed the claims of s****l harassment, it said that the allegations of breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation could proceed.
The attorney concluded, “S****l harassment isn’t going forward not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
Lively’s lawyers have said their client was “kissed, nuzzled and touched” without her consent. Baldoni was “consistently inappropriate” and crossed “boundaries” on set, her lawyers argued.
The actress awaits the next hearing on May 18.
