WASHINGTON: Actor Blake Lively has said she will press ahead with her legal case against co-star Justin Baldoni, despite a key sexual harassment claim being dismissed, asserting that she will not be “distracted by the digital soap opera”.
In a statement shared on Instagram Stories, Lively reaffirmed her commitment to pursuing justice, with the case scheduled to go to trial in New York on May 18.
“I will never stop doing my part in fighting to expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence and retaliate against victims,” she wrote. “I know it is a privilege to be able to stand up. I will not waste it.”
Reflecting on the emotional toll, Lively said the impact of online hostility should not be underestimated, noting that “the physical pain from digital violence is very real”.
She also thanked the court for its recent ruling, while emphasising that legal action had not been her preferred course. “The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit,” she said, attributing her decision to what she described as “pervasive retaliation” after advocating for a safer working environment.
Her statement concluded with the words, “See you in court.”
The development follows a ruling by Judge Lewis Liman, who dismissed the sexual harassment portion of the lawsuit, citing jurisdictional issues and Lively’s status as an independent contractor during the production of It Ends With Us.
However, her defamation and retaliation claims, which Lively described as the “heart of my case”, remain active and will be heard by a jury, according to Deadline.
Lively has alleged that Baldoni, along with executives from Wayfarer Studios and associated public relations teams, orchestrated an online smear campaign against her in 2024 ahead of the film’s release. Her legal team claims that digital communications support allegations of a coordinated effort to discredit her.
Baldoni and his representatives have denied the accusations, maintaining that the online backlash against Lively was organic rather than organised. What is undisputed is that the actor faced intense criticism across digital platforms.
Court-ordered settlement talks between the two sides have reportedly failed, with Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, earlier describing negotiations in February as “unsuccessful”.
(With inputs from ANI)