Actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni has forfeited his right to appeal a ruling that dismissed his multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuits against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times, effectively bringing the protracted legal battle to a close.
According to newly filed court documents obtained by Daily Mail, a final judgment has now been entered, formally terminating Baldoni’s actions against the defendants. The 52-year-old was granted an opportunity to appeal after a judge dismissed his $400 million claims in June; however, that appeal window expired without any filing from his legal team.
The ruling represents a significant legal defeat for Baldoni, whose defamation suit against The New York Times alleged that the publication had irreparably harmed his reputation with an exposé detailing Lively’s claims of sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us—allegations Baldoni has consistently denied.
The dispute initially arose last year after Lively accused Baldoni of inappropriate conduct during production. In response, Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, filed a defamation action against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane. That counter-litigation has now been fully dismissed, leaving Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit as the only pending case between the former co-stars.
Recent filings indicate that Lively is now pursuing recovery of attorneys’ fees incurred while defending against Baldoni’s claims.
In a separate development, Lively’s legal team has accused Baldoni and his representatives of attempting to conceal and manipulate evidence during discovery. In filings reviewed by Daily Mail, her attorneys alleged that Baldoni’s team “hid the ball at every turn,” failed to produce required documents, and improperly asserted attorney-client privilege to shield communications. The court record reflects no fewer than twelve discovery-related motions filed against Baldoni’s side.
Additional allegations have surfaced from a former associate at Jonesworks LLC, a public relations firm named as a third-party defendant, who claimed Baldoni and his associates used encrypted applications such as Signal, auto-deleting messages, and other digital tools to obscure relevant evidence. Lively’s lawyers contend that these actions were part of a coordinated effort to undermine the actress’s credibility and preempt potential litigation.
The contentious legal saga stems from Lively’s allegation that Baldoni engaged in sexual harassment during production of It Ends With Us, the 2024 film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. The motion picture—co-starring Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar, and Kevin McKidd—was a major commercial success, grossing approximately $148 million domestically and $350 million worldwide. However, its reputation has since been overshadowed by the legal and reputational fallout between its two leads.#newsafro_
