Judge Dismisses Majority of Blake Lively's Claims Against Justin Baldoni

A federal judge in New York has dismissed 10 of the 13 claims filed by actress Blake Lively against her 'It Ends With Us' co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. The dismissed claims include allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. However, the court has allowed three claims—breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation—to proceed to trial, scheduled to begin on May 18.

Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Lively, as an independent contractor, is not protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination. Consequently, her sexual harassment claims were dismissed. The judge noted that some of Baldoni's alleged conduct occurred within the context of filming a sexually charged movie scene, which influenced the decision to dismiss certain claims.

Lively's legal team emphasized that the case will now focus on the alleged retaliation she faced for advocating for a safe working environment.

Baldoni's attorneys expressed satisfaction with the dismissal of the majority of claims, stating, "We're very pleased the Court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants."

The trial is set to commence on May 18, where the remaining claims will be addressed.