By Zoe Papadakis | Wednesday, 05 November 2025 11:32 AM EST
Justin Baldoni’s legal team has clarified the decision not to amend his $400 million defamation countersuit against Blake Lively, following a federal judge’s dismissal of the case in late October. The lawsuit, which accused Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist of extortion and defamation, was dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman in June. A related $250 million defamation claim against The New York Times was also rejected.
Baldoni’s team had until June 23 to revise the allegations but opted not to submit new filings. Judge Liman finalized the dismissal on October 31, closing the case permanently. Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, stated in a statement to People that media coverage misrepresented the situation. “The truth regarding this case continuously and completely gets distorted in the media,” he said. “Even something as simple as a procedural update has resulted in a total mischaracterization. At this point, we have to set the record straight: no deadlines were missed. Our clients chose not to amend their complaint to preserve appeal rights.”
Freedman added that the team is now focusing on Lively’s claims, emphasizing their commitment to pursuing “the truth through every legal and factual avenue available.” Court records show Judge Liman informed all parties in October of his intent to issue a final judgment. Only Lively’s team responded, requesting the ruling be finalized and her motion for legal fees remain active—a request the judge approved.
Lively had previously posted on Instagram about facing “a retaliatory lawsuit” and the “manufactured shame that tries to break us.” The legal dispute originated in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment and a “retaliatory smear campaign” tied to their film adaptation of It Ends With Us. Baldoni denied the claims, countersuing for defamation, civil extortion, and invasion of privacy. He alleged that Lively and others damaged his reputation by threatening to withhold promotion unless her demands were met.
Lively’s lawsuit remains active, with a trial scheduled for March 2026.
