Blake Lively Withdraws Two Emotional Distress Claims in Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni
Actress Blake Lively has officially dropped two key claims in her legal battle with director Justin Baldoni, related to their work together on the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
Lively initially sued Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and launching a smear campaign. Now, she’s attempting to withdraw her claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress—though other parts of her lawsuit remain active.
Medical Records at the Center of Legal Tensions
Baldoni’s legal team had requested access to Lively’s medical and therapy records to contest her claims of severe emotional harm. Instead of complying, Lively’s lawyers informed the court that those particular claims would be dropped.
Documents seen by Variety state that Lively’s attorneys declined to drop the claims “with prejudice,” meaning they may be reinstated at a later date.
Her legal team responded by calling the move a “press stunt,” saying the change was part of a broader strategy to “streamline and focus” the case. They also reaffirmed that emotional distress remains part of other claims in the lawsuit, including sexual harassment and retaliation.
A Battle That Keeps Expanding
In January 2025, Baldoni filed a counter-lawsuit against both Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, citing civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
The conflict traces back to It Ends With Us, a movie adaptation of the popular Colleen Hoover novel. Lively played the lead role, Lily Bloom, in a story centered around domestic violence and survival.
Lively appeared at the film’s premiere alongside Reynolds and co-star Brandon Sklenar, notably excluding Baldoni from the photo ops.
Taylor Swift’s Name Dragged into the Dispute
In a surprising twist, pop star Taylor Swift was subpoenaed during the early stages of the case, based on claims that she allegedly encouraged script rewrites by Lively. Swift’s team dismissed the subpoena as baseless, and it was withdrawn two weeks later.
“She was not involved in casting or creative decisions,” Swift’s reps confirmed.
What’s Next?
The court will now decide whether to officially dismiss the withdrawn claims or compel Lively to submit the contested mental health documents. Meanwhile, the case moves forward with multiple other claims and countersuits still on the table.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSZ_V_MowPU
