Yesterday (9 Jun), news broke that Justin Baldoni had been forced to drop his $400 million defamation lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively, following a six month legal battle.
The 41-year-old announced his plans to sue Lively back in January, in response to a lengthy complaint she'd filed against him a month prior.
The Gossip Girl actress had accused Baldoni of exhibiting overly-sexualised behaviour towards her while on the set of the Coleen Hoover novel adaptation, as well as working with a team of publicists to orchestrate a 'smear campaign' against her.
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Lively, 37, also alleged that her cast-mate had made ceaseless inquisitions about her sex life with actor husband Ryan Reynolds between scenes, with whom she shares four children.
Baldoni went on to deny all claims Lively had made against him, and in response, filed a defamation countersuit against her.
He argued that she'd 'stolen' the 2024 romantic-drama from him by issuing him with a vast plethora of production-oriented demands, and threatened to 'attack' him in the press if he did not obey said instructions.
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The Jane The Virgin actor also claimed that Lively, Reynolds and the couple's publicist Leslie Sloan, had worked alongside the New York Times to 'spread a false narrative that Baldoni committed sexual misconduct towards' her.
Six months later, however, and a judge has this week dismissed said suit.
According to documents obtained by E! News, judge Lewis J. Liman had ruled both the actor and his production firm - Wayfarer Parties - had 'not adequately alleged that Lively’s threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions'.
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Taking to social media in the hours after the news was announced, Lively penned a passionate message to her followers.
"Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us," the mother-of-four began.
"While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back."
Lively went on to claim she's now 'more resolved than ever' to 'stand for every woman's right to have a voice in protecting themselves.'
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She also shared a list of charitable groups and organisations dedicated to fighting for women's rights, as well as domestic violence protection groups, and employment law firms.
Lively concluded her post by writing: "With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me.
"Many of you I know. Many of you I don't. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you."
Back in February, Lively's representatives described Baldoni's suit as 'retaliation' to her speaking out against the suffering she'd been subjected to behind the scenes.
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Her team told PEOPLE Magazine in a statement: "Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively 'into oblivion' for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation."
She also subtly nodded to her prior legal battle back in April, when she was named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2025, making a speech at the Lincoln Center in New York City.
Describing the experience as 'surreal and deeply significant', she also expressed her feelings 'of being a woman who has a voice today.'
Lively said at the time: "I have so much to say about the last two years of my life, but tonight is not the forum."
It was widely believed at the time that her reference to the 'last two years' describes the start of filming for It Ends With Us.
LADbible Group has previously reached out to Justin Baldoni's representatives for comment.
Topics: Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively, Celebrity, US News
Rhianna Benson