Blake Lively seeks dismissal of $400 million defamation on THESE grounds, while Justin Baldoni's lawyer calls it 'abhorrent'

Blake Lively, the ‘It Ends With Us’ actress asks the judge to dismiss the ‘baseless’ and ‘retaliatory’ $400 million defamation lawsuit against her by co-star, Justin Baldoni, labelling it a ‘vengeful and rambling attempt’ as a form of punishment after she accused him of sexual harassment in the workplace.
On the grounds of the change in California law which prohibits the weaponization of defamation claims that concern accusations of sexual assault, the lawyers representing the actress have called the lawsuit a ‘vengeful and rambling attempt.’
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Californian Lawmakers in 2023 expanded the libel (written defamatory statement) protections to include communications based on public disclosures of sexual misconduct, leading to the accused individuals struggling to retaliate.
According to People, the lawyers described it as a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court. “This meritless and retaliatory lawsuit faces three insurmountable legal obstacles, including the litigation, fair report, and sexual harassment privileges,” the lawyers said in a statement.
The sexual harassment privileges give the right to Lively, where Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni’s Production Company has to pay for damages and cover Lively’s legal expenses. “In an epic self-own, the Wayfarer Parties’ attempt to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ has only created more liability for them—deservedly so, given their actions,” the lawyers continued.
Justin Baldoni’s lawyer responded by calling her claims ‘abhorrent.’ Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing Baldoni, stated that the laws are to protect individuals and rightfully protect the innocent, and not to be ‘twisted and curated by privileged elites to fit their own personal agenda,’ calling Blake’s claim as the ‘abhorrent examples of law abuse.
Additionally, Freedman continued that their legal team will continue to hold Blake Lively, and Ryan Reynolds accountable for their actions which include ‘falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation,’ while calling out her ‘fantastical dreams’ and a challenge of debunking the dreams with evidential proof.