IT’S NOT OVER! Justin Baldoni reaffirms that Blake Lively is lying and that he will continue with his lawsuit.
In Hollywood, there are the fictional dramas we love so much, and then there’s real life, the kind that not even Ryan Murphy would dare to write. Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni ‘s $400 million lawsuit , accusations of harassment, and a parade of exchanges, remains alive despite everything said and unsaid. Although a judge dismissed part of the case, the actor and director of “Breaking the Circle” assures that he still has a lot to do.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, a contemporary epic
It all started with a movie based on a book by Colleen Hoover , but to everyone’s surprise, it ended up in court. During filming, Blake Lively, star and producer, denounced an uncomfortable work environment, led by Baldoni. She accused him of sexual harassment and defamation; he responded with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit that included Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds , and The New York Times .
Justin Baldoni in ‘Breaking the Circle’ (Photo: IMDb)
Justin Baldoni lost power
On July 8, Judge Lewis J. Liman put out much of the fire fueled by Baldoni . He dismissed the defamation charges, siding with Lively; the actress’s lawyers, sharper than ever, called the trial a “farce” and celebrated the victory with considerable enthusiasm:
“Today’s ruling represents a complete victory and vindication for Blake Lively. As we have said from day one, this $400 million lawsuit was a sham, and the Court unequivocally upheld it. We look forward to the next round, seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages, and punitive damages against those who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”
Will Justin Baldoni continue to sue Blake Lively?
Baldoni has no intention of giving in to the person who, according to his testimony, intimidated and defamed him. His attorney, Bryan Freedman , made it clear that this isn’t the end of the road, but merely the halfway point. Although three of the seven charges have already been dismissed, the Court has allowed the other four to be rewritten:
“This case is about false accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation, as well as a nonexistent smear campaign, which Ms. Lively’s own team conveniently describes as “untraceable” because they can’t prove something that never happened. Most importantly, Ms. Lively’s claims are no more true today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we move forward with the same confidence we had when Ms. Lively and her cronies launched this battle.”
The sequel to ‘Breaking the Circle’ and other books by Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover fans are now wondering if they’ll ever see the sequel to ‘Breaking the Circle’ in theaters . ‘It Starts With Us,’ the literary sequel, has been out since 2022, but with so much litigation going on, no one knows if any studio will want to get involved in this media circus. Hoover, for her part, quietly continues to sell books galore: ‘Verity,’ ‘Ugly Love,’ ‘Confess’… all with the potential to be turned into movies, but it’s important that the actors don’t sue each other.
Justin Baldoni with Colleen Hoover, author of ‘Breaking the Circle’ (Photo: The Wrap)
What’s next for Blake and Justin?
In March 2026, the two will face each other again in a courtroom, this time with more evidence, new witnesses, and more press attentive to their every statement. Lively, far from letting her guard down, declared on Instagram that she will continue to defend women’s right to speak, no matter how many lawsuits appear. Baldoni, meanwhile, remains convinced that he has the truth on his side and that with the help of his team, he will be able to prove it.
The lawsuit between Blake and Lively is still ongoing and there is no date for its conclusion.
With information from Deadline .