Blake Lively’s ‘Luck Finally Runs Out’ — Justin Baldoni Delivers Devastating Legal Blow
In what has become one of Hollywood’s most explosive legal sagas, Blake Lively’s triumph in her lawsuit appears poised to fracture under mounting pressure. Once seen as the emboldened star defending herself from alleged misconduct, Lively now faces daunting legal obstacles—centered around her own claims of harassment. Meanwhile, Justin Baldoni, her “It Ends With Us” co-star, has landed what some legal observers are calling a cataclysmic blow against her case. In a sudden reversal, the narrative has shifted: the actress who sparked a movement may now find her legal shield weakening.
From Empowerment to Embattlement
When It Ends With Us hit theaters in August 2024, millions celebrated its story of survival. But behind the scenes, a storm was brewing. In December, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, alleging sexual harassment by Baldoni, including unwanted physical advances, unscripted intimate scenes, and invasions of privacy — such as entering her trailer while she was undressed or nursing Yahoo News UK+11Cinemablend+11Page Six+11Wikipedia+1. These revelations were made public via a widely circulated New York Times exposé, portraying Lively as a courageous voice refusing to stay silent Wikipedia+1.
Support poured in from all corners—author Colleen Hoover, Lively’s “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” co-stars (America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel), SAG-AFTRA, and even major studios like Sony backed her ABC News+15Wikipedia+15EW.com+15.
Enter Baldoni—and the Epic Legal War
Not one to stand defended, Baldoni struck back. In January 2025, he launched a $400 million defamation and extortion countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist ABC News+15Wikipedia+15Yahoo News UK+15. He also sued The New York Times for $250 million, asserting the exposé was false and damaging Wikipedia+4Wikipedia+4People.com+4.
The low blows of Hollywood quickly escalated into a courtroom brawl.
The Tides Turn: Baldoni’s Blows Land Hard
On June 9, 2025, the legal landscape shifted dramatically. A federal judge ruled that Baldoni’s defamation claims against Lively, Reynolds, and The New York Times were baseless—Lively’s statements were legally privileged and thus protected Marie Claire UK+10Vanity Fair+10E! Online+10People.com+15UNILAD+15Yahoo News UK+15. In another blow, the judge permitted Baldoni to refile select contractual allegations—but the core of his case had collapsed Wikipedia+3Wikipedia+3New York Post+3.
At the same time, Baldoni opted not to refile his $400 million lawsuit, signaling a retreat and indirect concession Wikipedia+3People.com+3Wikipedia+3.
Lively’s Legal Armor Begins to Crack
Just when Lively may have thought the courtroom was her domain, the walls began to crack. In July, the judge dismissed one of her core claims—against social media consultant Jed Wallace—who she accused of orchestrating a smear campaign on Baldoni’s behalf People.com+15Far Out Magazine+15Wikipedia+15. The ruling granted Wallace dismissal and gave Lively a deadline to amend or refile, shifting her position from momentum to scramble.
A Stunning Judicial Critique
Then came another jarring surprise. Lively scored a procedural win by having her deposition transcript sealed from public docket. But the judge’s underlying language was scathing—calling Baldoni’s legal team’s filing of a nearly 300-page transcript a “scandalous,” irrelevant move meant to incite media spectacle and harass Lively Wikipedia+4Wikipedia+4New York Post+4Page Six.
New Players Enter the Fray, Further Darkening the Outlook
As if the battle wasn’t intense enough, actress Isabela Ferrer—who played a younger version of Lively’s character—accused Baldoni of harassment via subpoena, claiming his tactics were meant to intimidate Page Six+4News.com.au+4Page Six+4. Baldoni’s legal team fired back, emphasizing that their subpoena followed established discovery procedures and was necessary for fairness—not harassment People.comPage Six. The courtroom thus became arms of attrition—with Lively’s legal position increasingly fraught on multiple fronts.
Adding salt to the wound, the once-close friendship between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift—never officially ended—has reportedly been strained to the breaking point due to Swift being named in the legal battle and linked by association News.com.au+11Marie Claire UK+11People.com+11.
Why This Feels Like Lively’s ‘Luck Finally Runs Out’
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Legal Victory Vanishes. Her defamation shield crumbled when the judge dismissed Baldoni’s countersuits—and she lost legal ground in her own countersuit as well.
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Key Claims Dropped or Challenged. Claims against key defendants like Wallace were dismissed. Deposition filings have become battlegrounds for bad-faith accusations.
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New Allegations Add Drag. Ferrer’s harassment claims, while directed at Baldoni, unfavorably expand the legal spotlight around Lively’s case.
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Friendship Fallout. Personal fallout with public figures like Taylor Swift adds emotional and PR pressure at a time when she can least afford distractions.
Yet, the Final Battle Isn’t Over
Nonetheless, the war is far from finished. Lively’s sexual harassment claims remain alive and are scheduled to go to trial in March 2026 The Times of IndiaWikipedia+2Wikipedia+2. The public and legal dimensions remain deeply intertwined, making this saga far from settled.
Lively may have lost some critical skirmishes—and a PR narrative of empowerment may be intersecting with legal fragility—but the war continues. Her resilience, courtroom strategy, and public support may yet rebound the tides. But for now, as she counts liability instead of allies, the headlines scream: “Luck Finally Runs Out.”
