Full Breakdown
Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni: Civil Suit Over Alleged Online Retaliation
4/30/2026, 5:29:30 AM
Civil Retaliation Lawsuit: Core Claims and Counterclaims
Actress Blake Lively has filed a civil retaliation suit in Manhattan federal court against co-star Justin Baldoni, alleging an orchestrated online smear campaign that damaged her acting career and two consumer businesses. Lively seeks more than $200 million in damages, citing $35 million lost from a cancelled sequel or prequel to *It Ends With Us* and projected losses of $39.6 million to $143.5 million from her Blake Brown hair-care line and Betty Booze beverage line after a surge of negative comments in early August 2024. The case is set for trial on May 18, with a pre-trial hearing on expert testimony scheduled for an upcoming Tuesday.
Background, Key Figures & Legal Teams
The dispute stems from the 2024 release of *It Ends With Us*, in which Lively and Baldoni co-starred. Lively contends that after she raised on-set misconduct concerns—including alleged sexual harassment—Baldoni launched a retaliatory digital campaign. Lively is represented by attorney Naeun Rim; Baldoni’s legal team includes Amir Kaltgrad and Fabien Thayamballi. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman presides over the case and previously dismissed most of Lively’s claims, including the sexual-harassment allegation.
Official Statements & Responses
Rim argues that Lively’s twenty-year acting record and the “biggest hair-care launch in Target history” were abruptly undermined by the alleged campaign, erasing months of investment. Kaltgrad counters that the projected earnings are speculative and unrelated to Baldoni, describing the claimed losses as “not the kind of earnings she has ever seen in the past.” Thayamballi emphasizes that the negative online comments coincided with the film’s premiere and Lively’s attempts to have cast members unfollow Baldoni, suggesting no causal link to Baldoni’s actions.
Criticism & Opposition
Baldoni’s attorneys maintain that the online backlash resulted from Lively’s own public behavior, including cross-promotion of her alcoholic beverage line during the premiere of a serious domestic-violence drama. They argue that the expert testimony Lively wishes to introduce—such as a “betrayal trauma” specialist—should be excluded because it does not directly address causation. Judge Liman has yet to rule on the admissibility of these experts, and his earlier dismissal of the sexual-harassment claim underscores the court’s scrutiny of Lively’s allegations.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Lively’s damage estimates range widely from $39.6 million to $143.5 million for her consumer brands, while Baldoni’s side disputes any quantifiable loss tied to the alleged campaign. The court has not received definitive financial analysis linking the negative comments to the projected earnings, creating a gap that the pending expert testimony is expected to fill. Additionally, the precise mechanisms of the purported “online retribution” remain unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There was no way they were going to work together,” — Amir Kaltgrad, attorney for Justin Baldoni
- “He had suggested at one point that she direct,” — Naeun Rim, attorney for Blake Lively
- “It was the biggest hair-care launch in Target history,” — Naeun Rim, attorney for Blake Lively
- “These are not the kind of earnings she has ever seen in the past,” — Amir Kaltgrad, attorney for Justin Baldoni
- “The negative comments Lively suffered in early August 2024 coincided with the movie's premiere, another Baldoni attorney, Fabien Thayamballi, told the judge.” — Fabien Thayamballi, attorney for Justin Baldoni
- “She also faced press criticism for cross-promoting her alcoholic beverage line "at the same time as the premiere of a serious movie about domestic violence," Thayamballi told the judge.” — Fabien Thayamballi, attorney for Justin Baldoni
What’s Next
Judge Liman will hear additional arguments on expert admissibility at the upcoming hearing, after which the parties will submit further briefs. The trial is slated for May 18, where a federal jury will determine liability and the extent of any damages, if any, owed to Lively.
