Court Dismisses $400M Defamation Lawsuit Against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

According to recent reports, actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni has decided not to appeal a court ruling that dismissed his $400 million defamation lawsuit against his co-star Blake Lively, her actor husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. The judgment in the case was officially entered four months after the court initially dismissed the lawsuit in June, giving Baldoni the option to appeal.

In his lawsuit, Baldoni had alleged defamation over reports concerning on-set disputes and misconduct allegations. However, the court ruled that Lively's allegations were part of a civil rights complaint, and therefore, she could not be held liable for the claims. The court also dismissed Baldoni's suit against Reynolds, finding that the actor's alleged comments about Baldoni were consistent with Lively's filed complaint and could not reasonably be deemed defamatory.

Meanwhile, the judge also found that the New York Times, in its reporting, had relied on the complaints by the actress. While Baldoni's legal claims have been dismissed, Lively's lawsuit against the director remains active, and she is reportedly seeking to recover her legal fees from Baldoni.