It seems like forever since the drama caused by the It Ends With Us set began to unravel, throwing two major figures of the movie industry into an endless game of PR and legal chess moves. Yet, as of the month of April 2026, the tide appears to have turned in a big way for one of them. Blake Lively may no longer be considered untouchable, as she has become the subject of an extensive dismissal by the Manhattan district court.
A crushing decision, and industry response
On April 2nd, US District Judge Lewis Liman gave what might be called a crushing blow to Lively’s hopes of winning a defamation case she brought against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Ten out of 13 of her claims against him have been dismissed by the court.
Lively’s SH accusations, as well as some aspects of defamation claims, were thrown out. As she couldn’t qualify as an employee of the set due to contractual conditions and was an independent contractor, she could not file SH lawsuits under Title VII.
Secondly, the court found that in some of the physical interactions she mentioned, Baldoni leaned into her and even touched her neck. While such actions were definitely offensive, they took place during scene shooting. Moreover, it was shown to take place when Baldoni directed such attention to her character, and not Lively personally.
Even though it looks like Lively is all done and dusted, her case is still alive as the court dismissed only part of her claim. Three claims have been left intact, and now they are going to be examined further during the trial. They include ‘Retaliation,’ ‘Breach of Contract,’ ‘Aiding,’ and ‘Abetting Retaliation.’
This limited lawsuit will be conducted in May, on the 18th of that month, and the actress already posted a statement saying she is grateful her claims were able to make it past court hearings. Even though she lost on ten counts, the heart of the case was saved.
While Lively seems more than ready to continue fighting, the response of the industry “whisper network” to the dismissal of her claims suggests a much more cautious stance from movie producers in the coming days.
According to the information provided by brand specialists, in 2026, being sued for SH costs an actress her career, especially if the claims aren’t entirely dismissed. While Blake Lively is backed by her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and once upon a time by her now ‘ex’ best friend, Taylor Swift (nearly subpoenaed in this case in the previous year, given that she and her fiancé, Travis Kelce, unfollowed the couple from Instagram, as reports suggest Taylor Swift and Blake Lively have experienced a strained friendship), she is in a high-risk category for now.
Moreover, calling everything she endured during filming abuse and digital violence is a very controversial move from Lively. While some of her fanbase support her efforts in combating harassment, it might be seen as a way to divert people’s attention from the court rulings. Thus, according to experts, Lively will struggle to get any large branded deals until the verdict comes out.
No matter how everything sounds these days, Blake Lively’s career isn’t quite doomed yet. Hollywood never really forgets about someone who can give a box-office hit. However, the lawsuit ordeal of 2024-2026 did take its toll on the actress and her personal life. Her perfect image, which lasted ten years, is shattered beyond recognition now, as fans and audiences call her ‘unnecessarily stubborn‘ for a case that is slipping from her grip day by day.
In May, the actress will either be proven right or wrong, and depending on that, will either be labeled as a martyr who fought for her right to safe working conditions or a star who tried to hide her misconduct behind a veil of lies just to prove a point that never really happened.
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