Justin Baldoni's Defamation Lawsuits Dismissed: Blake Lively Seeks Attorneys' Fees
Justin Baldoni has missed the deadline to appeal a judge's ruling that dismissed his lawsuits against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. The final judgment in the case has been entered, and all of Justin's claims against the three parties have been thrown out of court. Blake's claims against Justin remain intact, and she is seeking payment for her attorneys' fees.
Justin and his Wayfarer Studios production company had filed lawsuits against Blake and Ryan for $400 million and The New York Times for $250 million, alleging defamation over an article about the drama on the "It Ends With Us" movie set. The judge ruled in favor of Blake and the NYT, stating that Blake's allegations were included in a civil rights complaint and the Times relied on that complaint for their story.
The court found that the Times' reporting aligned with Blake's version of events in her complaint, and Ryan's statement about Justin being a "sexual predator" was consistent with Blake's allegations. Therefore, the judge determined that the comment could not be the basis of a defamation claim. Justin did not appeal the ruling, and the case has now been closed.
Legal teams for Justin, Blake, and The New York Times have not responded to requests for comment at this time.