Blake Lively pushes back saying this is far more than minor annoyances
Blake Lively is pushing back hard against Justin Baldoni’s latest effort to shut down her lawsuit, making it clear she is not letting the case quietly disappear.
The clash escalated after Baldoni asked Judge Lewis J Liman in November to dismiss the case entirely with a motion for summary judgment. If granted, it would mean he avoids the March 2026 trial. Lively’s team responded on Thursday with a firm opposition filing saying the situation goes far beyond what Baldoni and his team are trying to paint as simple creative disagreements, reported PEOPLE.
Her lawyers wrote that this is not as Defendants claim, a story of minor annoyances fueled by creative differences but instead one of a toxic work environment. They say Baldoni and his team are now twisting the story to make Lively look like the bully in order to shift blame away from what was happening on set.
According to the filing, her side believes the defendant’s arguments collapse under overwhelming evidence and has urged the judge to deny Baldoni’s motion. They insist she was dealing with far more serious problems than the occasional disagreement over how to run a scene.
Baldoni, on the other hand, is arguing that the harassment and retaliation claims are based on what he calls minor comments and simple miscommunications. His position is that nothing Lively has alleged would amount to unlawful behaviour and therefore the lawsuit should not move forward to trial.
For anyone not caught up Lively originally filed her complaint in December 2024. Baldoni responded not just by denying her claims but by launching an eye-watering 400 million countersuit which was later dismissed.
The battle between the two has continued to draw attention not only because of their public profiles but also because of the intensity of the accusations on both sides. Lively’s team is adamant that what happened on set created an environment that became impossible to work in. Baldoni is insisting that the whole situation has been blown out of proportion and that her claims have no legal merit.
The court filings released this week show just how far apart the two sides remain. Lively’s team is pushing to make sure the case does not get thrown out before trial saying important facts need to be heard in court. Baldoni’s camp is trying to shut the whole thing down early to avoid a lengthy and very public courtroom drama.
The judge has not yet ruled on the motion and both sides are now waiting to see if the case heads toward the 2026 trial date or if Baldoni’s attempt at an early exit succeeds. What is clear from the latest filings is that neither side is backing down. Lively is determined to prove her claims and Baldoni is just as determined to clear his name.
For now the fight continues and it is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched entertainment legal battles in recent years.