Blake Lively, known for her role in the film "It Ends With Us," which debuted last summer, has made the decision to withdraw two of her claims against director Justin Baldoni amid an ongoing legal feud. The actress initially sued Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and launching a smear campaign against her.
The latest development comes after Baldoni's legal team requested access to Lively's medical records, specifically therapy notes, as part of their defense strategy related to her claims of suffering "severe emotional distress and pain." Reports from Variety indicate that Lively is looking to drop her claims related to intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Court documents reveal that Baldoni's team was notified about Lively's intention to withdraw these claims, marking a significant turn in the legal proceedings. However, they noted that Lively has not agreed to their request for the withdrawal to be with prejudice, which would prevent her from refiling those particular claims in the future.
In response, Lively's attorneys characterized Baldoni's comments as a "press stunt," asserting that they are narrowing down their claims and focusing on the key issues at hand. They further emphasized that Lively still alleges emotional distress within other claims, including sexual harassment and retaliation, while contending for considerable compensatory damages.
The dispute between the two figures escalated when Baldoni counter-sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Their highly publicized legal battle traces back to the film's release, based on a popular novel by Colleen Hoover, where Lively portrays Lily Bloom, a character caught in a cycle of domestic abuse.
In a separate development, pop star Taylor Swift was recently summoned to a U.S. court in relation to this case after claims surfaced that she influenced Baldoni's acceptance of script changes provided by Lively. However, Swift's representatives clarified her lack of involvement in any creative decisions related to the film, and the subpoena was dropped shortly thereafter, following objections from her legal team citing it as an "unwarranted fishing expedition."
As the legal proceedings unfold, both parties remain locked in a complex battle, drawing attention from media and fans alike.