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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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 3 April, covering the latest developments you need to know
Fears of wider escalation grow despite President Donald Trump saying U.S. strikes on Iran could end within weeks. Meanwhile missile attacks, tanker incidents and rising casualties across Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf heighten risks to regional stability and energy routes.
There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage around the moon that marks the United States' boldest step yet toward returning humans to the lunar surface later this decade in a race with China.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia's Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging some buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said.
President Donald Trump staunchly defended his handling of the month-old U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in a prime-time address on Wednesday, saying the U.S. military was nearing completion of its mission while also reinforcing his threats to bomb the Islamic Republic back to the Stone Age.
Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion was hospitalised in New York City after she fell ill mid-performance during a Broadway production of 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical'.
The European Broadcasting Union and global entertainment company Voxovation have announced that the first-ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place in 2026, with Bangkok selected to host the inaugural edition.
Music superstar Taylor Swift scored a leading seven trophies at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on Thursday including artist of the year and best pop album for the upbeat record "The Life of a Showgirl."
The trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has officially become the most-watched trailer of all time, racking up 718.6 million views in its first 24 hours and surpassing the previous record set by Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024.
Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris, the martial artist, actor and cultural icon best known for his roles in action films and the long-running CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger, has died at the age of 86.
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