Justin Baldoni’s $400m (£295m) lawsuit against his former co-star, Blake Lively, has been formally ended by a judge, who said the actor and director had failed to meet a deadline to continue his claim.
The pair, who starred in the 2024 film It Ends with Us, have been locked in a bitter legal battle since Lively sued Baldoni last December, accusing him of sexual harassment and waging a smear campaign against her.
In response, he filed a lawsuit against her as well as her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist and the New York Times, claiming civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.
Baldoni’s case was dismissed in June, but he had a chance to file an amended complaint. However, Judge Lewis Liman said he had failed to do.
The judge said he had contacted all of the parties on 17 October to give them a warning that he would enter a final judgement to conclude the case.
Only Lively responded, asking for the final judgment to be declared, but for her request for legal fees to remain active. The judge agreed.
Her original lawsuit against Baldoni is also ongoing.
After Baldoni’s case was dismissed in June, the actress’s lawyers called it “a total victory and a complete vindication”.
Source: BBC
