Reason judge dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400,000,000 defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively

A judge has explained why they dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400,000,000 defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively.

Lively and Baldoni both starred in 2024 film It Ends With Us - based on Colleen Hoover's book of the same title - and have since been embroiled in legal battles with one another.

A Simple Favor star Lively was the first to file a suit in December of last year where she accused her co-star of sexual harassment. Lively also claimed that Baldoni and his PR team had gone out of their way to create a smear campaign against her.

The mom-of-four first filed a civil complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20, before going on to move the complaint to federal court on December 31.

Baldoni later retaliated by filing a $400,000,000 defamation suit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds.

But this week, a judge threw out Baldoni's case, and has since explained why.

Baldoni's lawsuit has been dismissed (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Sharing their reasoning for dismissing Baldoni's case, Judge Liman wrote (via Fox News): "The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged.

"The Wayfarer Parties have alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign."

The judge concluded: "But the Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Reynolds, Sloane or the Times would have seriously doubted these statements were true based on the information available to them, as is required for them to be liable for defamation under applicable law."

The pair starred together in It Ends With Us (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

Lively has since spoken out about the decision, over on social media.

"Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women's rights to speak up for their safety," the actor said.

"Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us. While the suit against me was defeated, so many don't have the resources to fight back."

Lively went on: "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."

The 37-year-old ended her statement with: "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."

Baldoni filed the lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Lively's attorneys have also spoken out on the lawsuit being thrown out and branded Baldoni's filing 'a sham'.

"As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it," they said.

"We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, [Steve] Sarowitz, [Melissa] Nathan and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation."

UNILAD has previously reached out to Baldoni's representatives for comment.