**Lively continues to pursue other allegations including sexual harassment as the legal feud evolves.**
**Blake Lively Withdraws Claims Against Justin Baldoni Amid Ongoing Legal Battle**
**Blake Lively Withdraws Claims Against Justin Baldoni Amid Ongoing Legal Battle**
**The actress has decided to drop two emotional distress claims in a lawsuit against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.**
In a surprising turn of events, Blake Lively has opted to withdraw two claims against director Justin Baldoni, whom she worked with on the film *It Ends With Us*. The legal confrontation began when Lively filed a lawsuit in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and engaging in a smear campaign. The update was reported by Variety, which noted that Baldoni's legal team had requested access to Lively’s medical records in their defense against her allegations of causing her severe emotional distress.
Documents submitted by Baldoni’s legal representatives indicate that Lively has decided to drop her claims of both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. However, the decision to dismiss these claims raises the question of whether the court will dismiss them entirely or compel Lively to share her mental health records. In response, Lively's attorneys characterized Baldoni's filing as merely a "press stunt" and asserted that they are refining her case’s focus.
Baldoni’s legal team mentioned that Lively’s refusal to make the dismissal "with prejudice" may leave the door open for future refiling of those claims. Despite dropping these specific claims, Lively maintains her allegations of emotional distress alongside other accusations related to sexual harassment and retaliation, as well as potential claims for substantial compensatory damages.
The ongoing legal tussle has seen Baldoni counter-suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for claims including civil extortion and defamation. The conflicts coined from the film, *It Ends With Us*, based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, have since drawn significant media attention.
In an interesting subplot, pop star Taylor Swift was recently brought into the legal fray when it was alleged she influenced script adjustments by Lively during production. However, Swift’s representatives quickly denied any involvement in the film's creative process, calling the subpoena issued to her an unwarranted intrusion, a claim that was sustained as the legal order was dropped shortly after.
As both parties navigate this complicated legal landscape, it remains to be seen how these developments will affect the larger narrative surrounding their professional and personal interactions.
Documents submitted by Baldoni’s legal representatives indicate that Lively has decided to drop her claims of both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. However, the decision to dismiss these claims raises the question of whether the court will dismiss them entirely or compel Lively to share her mental health records. In response, Lively's attorneys characterized Baldoni's filing as merely a "press stunt" and asserted that they are refining her case’s focus.
Baldoni’s legal team mentioned that Lively’s refusal to make the dismissal "with prejudice" may leave the door open for future refiling of those claims. Despite dropping these specific claims, Lively maintains her allegations of emotional distress alongside other accusations related to sexual harassment and retaliation, as well as potential claims for substantial compensatory damages.
The ongoing legal tussle has seen Baldoni counter-suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for claims including civil extortion and defamation. The conflicts coined from the film, *It Ends With Us*, based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, have since drawn significant media attention.
In an interesting subplot, pop star Taylor Swift was recently brought into the legal fray when it was alleged she influenced script adjustments by Lively during production. However, Swift’s representatives quickly denied any involvement in the film's creative process, calling the subpoena issued to her an unwarranted intrusion, a claim that was sustained as the legal order was dropped shortly after.
As both parties navigate this complicated legal landscape, it remains to be seen how these developments will affect the larger narrative surrounding their professional and personal interactions.
