‘It Ends With Us’ actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni has reportedly chosen ‘not to appeal’ a court ruling that dismissed his $400 million defamation lawsuit against his co-star, actress Blake Lively, her actor husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times.
Justin misses date to appeal
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, the judgment in the case has now been entered, thus officially throwing out Baldoni’s claims against the actress, her husband, and the publication. This comes four months after the court dismissed the lawsuit in June, giving Baldoni the option to appeal.
About Justin’s lawsuit
In his lawsuit, Baldoni alleged defamation over reports concerning on-set disputes and misconduct allegations. However, the court ruled that Lively’s allegations were part of a civil rights complaint; hence, she could not be held liable for the claims.The court also dismissed Baldoni’s suit against Reynolds, over ‘falsely’ calling him a ‘sexual predator’. According to the judge, the actor’s alleged comments about Baldoni were said to be consistent with Lively’s filed complaint and could not reasonably be deemed defamatory. Meanwhile, in his case against the NYT, the judge also found that the publication in its reporting, relied on the complaints by the actress.
Blake’s lawsuit against Baldoni remains active
While Baldoni’s legal claims have been dismissed, Lively’s lawsuit against the director remains active. The actress is reportedly seeking to recover her legal fees from Baldoni.In a post on her Instagram, Lively said that “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us”.”While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back,” she said, adding that she was “more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves”.
