Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni tossed out but robust case remains
WRAL • • entertainment
Key Points:
- A federal judge dismissed Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni related to the film "It Ends With Us," but allowed three claims, including retaliation, to proceed to trial scheduled for May 18.
- Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, and therefore not eligible to bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
- The judge found that some alleged conduct by Baldoni occurred within the context of filming and was not clearly beyond what could be expected between actors in a scene, but noted evidence of potential retaliation and a smear campaign against Lively.
- Lively's legal team emphasized the focus on retaliation and efforts to damage her reputation after she advocated for safety on set, while Baldoni’s countersuit for defamation and extortion was previously dismissed.
- "It Ends With Us," based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, debuted strongly at the box office but was overshadowed by publicized tensions between Lively and Baldoni during production.
