Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 10, 2025 · Entertainment

Legal Twists and Turns: Justin Baldoni's Extortion Case Against Blake Lively Far From Closed

Blake Lively claimed to have scored ‘total victory’ after Justin Baldoni’s $400m lawsuit against her was sensationally dismissed by a New York judge yesterday

SCANDALOUS SAGA: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's $400 MILLION Lawsuit Drama Unfolds

In a shocking twist, Hollywood starlet Blake Lively has scored what she claims is a "total victory" after a New York judge sensationally dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against her. But don't pop the champagne just yet, folks! TheScholarlyNote.com can exclusively reveal that while one part of the defamation suit was tossed, Baldoni's team has been given the green light to file an amended complaint – leaving Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds still fighting a battle over four more claims.

And if that wasn't enough drama, we've got a juicy development: Lively is facing a deposition by Baldoni's lawyers! That's right, folks, she'll be forced to answer questions about her allegations of sexual harassment against the Jane the Virgin star. This bombshell revelation comes as Baldoni's team breaks their silence to call out Lively's claims of triumph as "false."

On top of that, the Daily Mail can also exclusively reveal that Lively is facing being deposed by the Jane the Virgin star’s lawyers - and that a motion to do just that was filed last week.

In a statement exclusively released to TheScholarlyNote.com, Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman fired back at Lively's declaration of victory, saying: "Ms. Lively and her team's predictable declaration of victory is false... This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a nonexistent smear campaign."

The drama began in December when Lively sued Baldoni for allegedly sexually harassing her on set – claims he denied. The lawsuit sparked a retaliatory defamation suit from Baldoni against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane, with allegations ranging from invasion of privacy to civil extortion.

But don't worry, folks, we've got the tea! A judge has tossed out the defamation and extortion parts of Baldoni's lawsuit, citing that all his allegations were made within privileged court papers. However, the judge did invite Baldoni's team to file an amended complaint – leaving four more claims on the table.

Baldoni subsequently hit back after denying Lively's allegations with his own lawsuit accusing her, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion in the $400 million suit that has now been dismissed

As the drama unfolds, TheScholarlyNote.com can exclusively reveal that Lively is facing a deposition by Baldoni's lawyers – and we're talking major fireworks! With allegations of sexual harassment, invasion of privacy, and civil extortion on the line, it's going to be a wild ride. Will Lively emerge victorious, or will Baldoni's team come out on top? Stay tuned for more updates from TheScholarlyNote.com!

Background: The Lawsuit

Last December, Lively sued Baldoni over allegations of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign during the production of their film, It Ends with Us. In her lawsuit, she accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her in multiple ways – including body shaming her – and orchestrating a smear campaign against her to damage her reputation.

Blake Lively released a statement shortly after her legal victory, saying: 'While the suit against me was defeated, so many of us don't have the resources to fight back' - in reference to the long list of organizations that 'speak up' for women's safety that she tagged in her Instagram story

Baldoni denied all allegations, claiming that Lively twisted the meaning of text messages and misled the public about their interactions while making the film. The lawsuit sparked a retaliatory defamation suit from Baldoni against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane, with allegations ranging from invasion of privacy to civil extortion.

The Fallout

Since Lively's complaint was filed, Baldoni has faced a number of professional consequences, including a lawsuit from a former publicist; being dropped by the agency WME, which also reps Lively and Reynolds. WME has denied claims that Lively and Reynolds leaned on them to release Baldoni from their client roster, according to Variety.

Lively will now have to back up her claims in her own $250million lawsuit against Baldoni. Meanwhile, his legal team is expected to appeal Judge Lewis Liman’s dismissal of the $400 million countersuit, signaling that the legal battle is far from over

The drama has only intensified since then, with both sides trading barbs and allegations in court filings. It's been a war of words, folks – and we're just getting started!