Washington [US], March 21: Blake Lively has filed a motion in federal court seeking the dismissal of the defamation lawsuit brought against her by actor and director Justin Baldoni, amidst a growing legal dispute. The motion, filed in New York, challenges Baldoni’s USD 400 million countersuit and stresses California’s legal protections for those who report sexual misconduct.
The legal conflict began two months ago when Baldoni filed his countersuit, accusing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others of civil extortion, defamation, and false light invasion of privacy. This followed Lively’s own lawsuit, in which she had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation.
In her motion to dismiss, Lively’s legal team strongly criticized Baldoni’s countersuit, calling it “vengeful and rambling” and alleging that it misused the legal process. They contend that Baldoni’s claims should be dismissed under California’s Assembly Bill 933, a 2023 amendment that shields individuals who report allegations of sexual misconduct from retaliation, as long as the statements are made without malice.
The law, designed in response to the #MeToo movement, aims to prevent the weaponization of defamation lawsuits against those who speak out about harassment or retaliation. Lively’s attorneys argue that Baldoni’s countersuit is an example of this abuse, asserting that the law protects individuals from being silenced by such lawsuits.
Baldoni’s legal team, however, rejected Lively’s motion, calling it an attempt to escape responsibility for what they described as a “self-concocted disaster.” They vowed to continue holding Lively accountable, stating that her allegations of harassment and retaliation would be disproven during the legal discovery process.
The motion also raised concerns about the potential misuse of the legal system for public relations purposes. Lively’s team accused Baldoni of using the lawsuit to publicly discredit her and prevent her from speaking out about her harassment and retaliation experiences.
A spokesperson for Lively echoed these concerns, pointing out that many individuals who report workplace harassment face similar retaliation in the form of defamation lawsuits. They emphasized the importance of legal protections for those who come forward and the need for such cases to serve as a reminder of the rights individuals have to seek justice.
The legal filing also mentions that should the court grant the motion to dismiss, Baldoni could be required to cover Lively’s legal fees and any damages incurred. Lively’s team described Baldoni’s lawsuit as an “epic self-own,” suggesting that his attempts to discredit her could backfire, leading to further legal and financial consequences for him.
This motion follows a similar filing by Ryan Reynolds, who has also requested to be dismissed from Baldoni’s lawsuit, denying the defamation claims against him.