Could it be that Hollywood is a febrile cesspit, populated by highly strung show ponies who would struggle to navigate the real world as a toddler would struggle with the Sunday Times crossword? You can draw your own conclusions from the evidence. Like a judge throwing out yet more of the Lively vs. Baldoni, and Baldoni vs. Lively tit-for-tat legal nonsense that has followed some hurty words on the set of It Ends with Us.
Judge Lewis Liman has thrown out 10 of 13 allegations in Lively’s case, including the big ticket harassment and defamation items. This leaves just three claims – breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. These will now go to civil trial in New York on the 18th of May. So there is that to look forward to.
This all started in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, accusing him of harassment and a smear campaign on the set of their hit movie. He denied it and counter-sued.
In the wake of this rejection, Lively’s legal team has rapidly moved to position the outcome as some kind of win. In a statement that was quoted on the BBC website, lawyer Sigrid McCawley said that the case:
“…has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy (Lively’s reputation)…”
She also claimed the sexual harassment claims were dropped, because of a technicality, and that they would continue to:
“…to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation”.
Issuing a responding statement about the judgement, Baldoni’s legal team said it was:
“…grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence that was provided. What’s left is a significantly narrowed case, and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”
This follows a similar treatment of Baldoni’s case last year, when a judge dismissed Baldoni’s $400m counter-lawsuit against Lively, which alleged civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.
Lively’s legal team accused Baldoni and his film studio, Wayfarer, of planning to wreck her reputation, including by social media manipulation and using friendly journalists to sow certain narratives. Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, alleging he sexually harassed her on set and retaliated against her for bringing those complaints, among other allegations.
Evidence in the legal battle has included texts about the situation between Lively and her friend Taylor Swift, which of course ignited an online storm of Swifties who were only going to take one position.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world just points and laughs.
