Blake Lively's Sexual Harassment Case Suffers Major Setback
A New York judge has delivered a significant blow to Blake Lively's legal battle against her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni, dismissing all sexual harassment claims in a ruling that dramatically narrows her case just weeks before trial.
Awkward Interview Resurfaces Amid Legal Developments
In a resurfaced August 2024 interview with Access Hollywood, Lively appeared visibly uncomfortable when questioned about intimate scenes with Baldoni during filming. The actress, now 39, squirmed as the journalist referenced her reportedly taking on the role of "intimacy coordinator" during certain sequences.
"That shouldn't be happening by the way, I just want to be clear," Lively responded defensively. "You should not be the intimacy coordinator and you should definitely hire intimacy coordinators, which we did have thank goodness."
The tension escalated when the interviewer specifically mentioned Lively "teaching Justin how to pull you in." Lively reacted with nervous laughter, playing with her hair and shifting uncomfortably while asking "Where have you seen that?"
Contradictory Statements on Set Safety
Ironically, that same month Lively had emphasized the critical importance of professional intimacy coordinators in an interview with Digital Spy. "I think it's critical to have an intimacy coordinator," she stated, comparing intimate scenes to carefully choreographed stunts or dance sequences.
"But now you guys just go put your bodies together and your mouths and whatever. And just like, 'action' and 'cut'... that's sort of ridiculous," she added, advocating for structured approaches to filming romantic content.
Legal Landscape Shifts Dramatically
On April 3, the court dismissed all sexual harassment claims against Baldoni, along with fat-shaming allegations that were ruled unable to "reasonably support a claim." This decision leaves Lively with just three remaining claims: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting retaliation.
The judge noted that the sexual harassment claim needed consideration within the context of the film production, observing that some complained-of conduct was directed toward Lively's character rather than the actress personally. The ruling emphasized that "creative artists must have some amount of space to experiment within the bounds of an agreed script without fear of being held liable for sexual harassment."
Trial Proceeds with Narrowed Focus
Despite the significant reduction in claims, the trial remains scheduled for May 18 in New York City. Baldoni's legal team expressed satisfaction with the court's decision, with attorneys Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach stating: "We're very pleased the court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants."
Sigrid McCawley, representing Lively, maintained that the case "has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively's reputation because she stood up for safety on the set."
The legal dispute originated in December 2024 when Lively initially filed her lawsuit. With the sexual harassment component now eliminated, the upcoming trial will concentrate exclusively on contractual and retaliation allegations, presenting a substantially different legal battlefield than originally anticipated.
