After a year-long legal saga colliding Hollywood glitz with high-stakes legal warfare, the “Gossip Girl” alum and “It Ends With Us” star finally has her say. On Monday, just hours after a judge threw out Justin Baldoni’s headline-grabbing $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against her, Blake Lively took to Instagram with a powerful message.
“Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women’s rights to speak up for their safety,” Lively, 37, wrote. “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us.”
This marks the first time Lively has publicly addressed the case since Baldoni, her former collaborator on the Netflix “It Ends With Us” film, sued her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and longtime publicist Leslie Sloane.
The now-dismissed suit accused them of defamation and extortion following Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit, where she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign.
Is the Fight Over?
In her statement, Lively acknowledged the privilege of having the resources to fight back in court, a privilege she knows many don’t share. “While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back,” she said.
© Jose Perez/Bauer-GriffinDressed to the nines and flashing a post-victory glow, Lively was later seen at the Tribeca Artists Dinner in New York, capping off a victorious day with a dose of high fashion and unmistakable resolve. “I’m more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story,” Lively added.
A Swipe at Baldoni
Among the 19 organizations that filed amicus briefs in her favor were Equal Rights Advocates, California Women’s Law Center, and CHILD USA, groups not exactly known for joining legal frays lightly.
According to Lively’s camp, Baldoni, once a self-professed #MeToo ally, found himself deserted by the very movements he used to champion. “All are united in opposing Justin Baldoni’s attempt to dismantle a law designed to protect women who speak up—simply to protect himself,” Lively’s rep said in a statement to DailyMail.com. “Rather than defend his case on the facts, Baldoni is now contradicting years of his own public persona.”
Marvel Gets a Cameo in the Drama
In a bizarre twist that somehow involved superheroes and subpoenas, Marvel Studios got entangled in the legal dust-up when Baldoni tried to subpoena documents related to Deadpool and Wolverine’s character, “Nicepool,” which he claimed was meant to mock and intimidate him.
© GC ImagesBaldoni thought “Deadpool” was subtweeting him. But Judge Liman swiftly quashed that move, granting Marvel’s request to block the subpoena and sealing any documents the studio might have had. In a sense, Marvel also got its happy ending.
While the legal case may be over, the fallout continues to ripple through Lively’s personal and professional circles, including her long-standing friendship with Taylor Swift, reportedly strained during the legal whirlwind.
© Michael Simon/ShutterstockAnd the tension isn’t just interpersonal. This entire affair raised questions about free speech, the weaponization of lawsuits, and how Hollywood handles its messiest reckonings. If there was ever a moment to say something, Lively clearly felt this was it. “With love and gratitude for the many who stood by me, many of you I know. Many of you I don’t. But I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you,” she concluded.
This case was a frontline clash over women’s right to speak out without fear of retaliatory lawsuits. And in that context, Lively’s win is symbolic. The court ruling and her post-victory statement may signal a growing resistance to what critics call “legal intimidation tactics.” With 19 advocacy groups behind her and the weight of the court on her side, Lively’s moment of silence is officially over.
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