A judge on Monday dismissed Justin Baldoni‘s $400 million defamation claim against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, finding that her accusations of sexual harassment were legally protected and therefore immune from suit.
Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s entire lawsuit — which also alleged extortion and other claims — but allowed him to amend and refile a couple of allegations regarding interference with contracts.
“Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times,” Lively’s lawyers said in a statement. “As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”
Lively has sued Baldoni in federal court for sexual harassment and retaliation, alleging that he and the producers of “It Ends With Us” launched a smear campaign against her after she complained about conditions on the set of the film.
Baldoni brought the defamation claim against the New York Times, Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist, alleging that they had conspired to destroy his career with false allegations.
In his ruling on Monday, Liman found that initial claims — first made in a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department and shared with the Times — were covered by the litigation privilege, which immunizes legal claims from defamation actions.
The Times’ reporting on the claims was also protected under the “fair report” privilege, which allows media outlets to cover legal proceedings without incurring defamation liability.
variety.com
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