Film And TV
03 Apr 26

Judge dismisses majority of Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims in lawsuit against Justin Beldoni

Valerie Harding/Camera Press/Redux.

While 10 out of 13 claims were dismissed because the court determined Lively had sued Beldonic under a Californian law for an alleged wrongful conduct incident that took place somewhere else, the case will still focus on her claims that Baldoni was behind a smear campaign against her online.

A federal US judge has dismissed 10 out of 13 of Blake Lively’s claims against Justin Beldoni, throwing out allegations of sexual harassment and defamation.

In a court ruling on Thursday, judge Lewis Liman found that Lively sued her co-star and director of the domestic violence film It Ends With Us under a California law, but that the alleged wrongful conduct incident took place somewhere else.

The claims that were thrown out include Lively’s claims of sexual harassment, conspiracy and defamation.

Three of the actor’s claims will still be heard in trial: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation, leaving the case to focus on her claims that Baldoni was behind a retaliatory smear campaign against her online.

Among the claims made by the actor and her lawyers, Baldoni was accused of being “consistently inappropriate” with Lively, and “kissed, nuzzled and touched” her without her consent.

Last June, Liman also threw out Baldoni’s $400 million (€346 million) defamation claim against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, while Lively also withdrew two claims of emotional distress against Baldoni.

Sigrid McCawley, an attorney for Lively, wrong in a statement that “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.

“For Blake Lively,” the attorney continued, “the greatest measure of justice 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.”

McCawleyalso insisted that the actor’s claims were dismissed “not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee”.

The narrowed case is set to go to trial in May after mediation failed last month, The Guardian reports.