A U.S. judge on Tuesday suggested he may dismiss the New York Times from Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit, where the actor claims the newspaper colluded with Blake Lively to damage his reputation.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman said the Times’ legal arguments were strong, making dismissal highly likely. The newspaper had filed a motion on February 28, arguing that its reporting was protected under the First Amendment.
“A strong showing that its motion to dismiss is likely to succeed,” Liman stated.
Baldoni accused the Times of acting as a "conduit for revenge" after publishing a December 2024 article titled "We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine."
He claimed the paper worked with Lively behind the scenes to create a false narrative.
The Times argued the article was legitimate journalism and that Baldoni failed to prove actual malice.
The lawsuit stems from Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Baldoni during the filming of "It Ends With Us" (2024), which he directed. Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, is also named in Baldoni’s countersuit.
Liman has paused discovery while reviewing the motion to dismiss, siding with the Times' request to avoid burdensome legal proceedings.
Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha: “The court’s decision recognizes the important First Amendment values at stake.”
With the judge leaning toward dismissal, the case could soon see the New York Times removed as a defendant, shifting the focus to Baldoni’s dispute with Lively.
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