Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are once again at the center of headline-making drama, but this time, it’s the courtroom—not the movie set—fueling the fire. These two Hollywood figures, known for their roles in the upcoming film "It Ends With Us," are now locked in a bitter legal fight that has the entertainment world watching closely.
According to Fox News, Lively has withdrawn her emotional distress claims against Baldoni after his legal team requested her therapy records. The move comes as part of an increasingly tense legal battle that has seen lawsuits, countersuits, and escalating public statements from both camps.
Lively’s decision to drop the emotional distress claims, at least for now, raises new questions about the direction of her lawsuit, which still contains multiple other serious allegations. Meanwhile, Baldoni’s team accuses Lively of trying to avoid transparency, while Lively’s lawyers insist the withdrawal is a routine legal maneuver, not an admission or retreat.
The conflict began when Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath, alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and emotional distress. Her complaint, first brought before the California Civil Rights Department and then in federal court last December, quickly made waves in the entertainment industry.
Shortly after, Baldoni and his team responded aggressively—not just denying the allegations but filing a staggering $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Baldoni accuses the couple of civil extortion and defamation, ratcheting up the stakes in a case already thick with Hollywood intrigue.
On Monday, the drama took another turn. Baldoni’s lawyers demanded access to Lively’s therapy notes and identification of her mental health providers to challenge her emotional distress claims. Instead of complying, Lively’s counsel informed the court that she would withdraw those specific claims, but only "without prejudice," meaning she could re-file them later.
Baldoni’s team immediately pushed back against Lively’s decision to withdraw without prejudice, arguing that she wanted to sidestep providing evidence while keeping the option to revive her claims at a more opportune moment. In their court filing, Baldoni’s lawyers said:
Instead of complying with the Medical RFPs, Ms. Lively’s counsel recently advised us, in writing, that Ms. Lively is withdrawing her [infliction of emotional distress] Claims. However, Ms. Lively has refused the Wayfarer Parties’ reasonable request that the withdrawal of such claims be with prejudice. She is only willing to withdraw her claims without prejudice.
Lively’s lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, swiftly dismissed the accusations as nothing more than legal theatrics intended for the tabloids. They insisted that their client’s legal strategy is standard procedure and that Baldoni and his team are simply trying to score points in the court of public opinion.
"Once again this is a routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt. We are doing what trial lawyers do: preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it; they are doing what they do: desperately seeking another tired round of tabloid coverage," they stated.
Despite the withdrawn claims, Lively’s lawsuit continues. She is still pursuing allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and other damages, which she and her legal team argue are more than sufficient to prove her case. According to Lively’s lawyers, Baldoni’s supposed "retaliatory" lawsuits have only opened him up to even greater legal risk.
"The Baldoni-Wayfarer strategy of filing retaliatory claims has exposed them to expansive new damages claims under California law, rendering certain of Ms. Lively’s original claims no longer necessary," her lawyers said. They maintain that Lively still "continues to allege emotional distress, as part of numerous other claims in her lawsuit, such as sexual harassment and retaliation, and massive additional compensatory damages on all of her claims."
Meanwhile, Baldoni’s camp has taken their defense to the public. In addition to releasing a timeline of their own and unedited footage from the set of "It Ends With Us," they argue that the evidence supports their side of the story. Both parties claim that the footage bolsters their respective cases, further muddying the waters for any outside observer.
The high-profile legal confrontation has also seen both sides attempt to control the media narrative. Following Baldoni’s release of footage and public statements, Lively’s team demanded a gag order on Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman. Baldoni’s legal team fired back, calling the request "an intimidation tactic" and "tactical gamesmanship."
A judge ultimately ordered both parties to follow the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, effectively restricting their ability to speak to the press and escalating the public feud. Despite this, public interest in the case continues to grow, fueled by each new revelation and legal maneuver.
Lively has spoken publicly about the toll the past year has taken on her, telling Seth Meyers that she’s experienced both the "highest highs" and "lowest lows" of her life as she fights her legal battle. She used her platform to highlight the challenges women face when speaking out, saying, "fear is by design, it's what keeps us silent," and crediting other women for giving her the strength to continue.
