Justin Baldoni suffers massive blow in Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds ‘It Ends With Us' legal war
Justin Baldoni is facing a major setback in his legal war against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
Judge Lewis J. Liman granted the motion to dismiss Baldoni, 41, and the Wayfarer Parties' $400 million lawsuit against Lively, 37, and Reynolds, 48, that alleged extortion and defamation on Monday, The Post can confirm.
The judge also dismissed Baldoni's $250 million defamation lawsuit against the New York Times.
3 Justin Baldoni on 'Today.'
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
But Judge Liman did reportedly note that Baldoni's legal team can still amend the claims for breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract. The deadline to do so is June 23.
'The Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged,' Judge Liman wrote in the opinion and order filing obtained by The Post.
3 Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at MetLife Stadium in 2023.
Corey Sipkin for New York Post
'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,' Judge Liman continued. '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.'
3 Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively shooting 'It Ends With Us.'
Christopher Peterson / SplashNews.com
Lively's lawyers, Esra Hudson & Mike Gottlieb, told The Post in a statement: 'Today's opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times. As we have said from day one, this '$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.'
The Post has reached out to Baldoni's attorney for comment.
More to come…
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Scott Wolf breaks silence on his ‘difficult decision' to file for divorce from wife Kelley after 21 years
Scott Wolf has broken his silence. The 'Party of Five' alum, 57, has revealed that he was the one who filed for divorce from his wife, Kelley Wolf, on Monday. He called it 'the most difficult decision of my life.' 7 Scott Wolf has revealed that he was the one who filed for divorce from his wife, Kelley Wolf, on Monday. Getty Images for Sony Pictures Television 7 The 'Party of Five' star told The Post that filing for divorce was 'the most difficult decision of my life.' Scott Wolf/Instagram 'After 21 years of marriage, I have made the most difficult decision of my life, and filed for divorce from my wife Kelley,' the actor told The Post in a statement this week. 'Our children have always been, and continue to be, the loves of our lives and our every priority,' he added, 'so I kindly ask for privacy at this time as we help guide them through this new chapter.' Court records obtained by Us Weekly confirmed that Scott filed for divorce from his wife of 21 years in Utah on June 9. 7 The pair just celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary on May 29. WireImage The 'Nancy Drew' star also reportedly filed a 'proposed parenting plan,' although that document remains sealed. The '90s heartthrob may have hinted at his marriage troubles days before the shocking divorce news. On May 25, Scott shared a cryptic video on social media that talked about navigating through 'darkness' and falling to one's 'lowest point.' 7 The '90s heartthrob may have hinted at his marriage troubles days before the shocking divorce news with a cryptic Instagram video. FilmMagic 'Your lowest point is the doorway to your highest self,' the lengthy Instagram video, which did not have a caption but did include a narrated voiceover, read. 'For when the heart breaks, something far deeper is taking place than mere misfortune.' 'We often don't realize the value of the darkness until it has passed,' it continued. 'For only in the absence of light that we learn to become the light. The human mind seeks comfort, but the soul stirs for change. It longs to grow, not to stay the same.' 'As I've said before, the meaning of life is just to be alive,' the video went on. 'And yet we resist the very currents that are pulling us into deeper awareness of that aliveness. You're not here to chase happiness like a dog chasing its tail.' The end of the clip mentioned 'evolution over escape' and becoming 'the light you're searching for.' 'Feed the soul, not the ego. Choose evolution over escape,' it concluded. 'And the light you're searching for will no longer be something you can find. It will be something you are.' The 'Everwood' actor's estranged wife took to social media on Tuesday to announce that the pair were divorcing just days after their 21st wedding anniversary. 7 Kelley Wolf announced the shocking divorce news in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday. Scott Wolf/Instagram 'It is with a heavy heart that Scott and I are moving forward with the dissolution of our marriage,' Kelley, 48, wrote on Instagram. 'This has been a long, quiet journey for me—rooted in hope, patience, and care for our children,' she added. 'While I will not speak publicly about the details, I feel peace knowing that I've done everything I can to walk this path with integrity and compassion.' Scott and Kelley married on May 29, 2004, after two years of dating. They share two sons, Jackson, 16, and Miller, 12, as well as an 11-year-old daughter, Lucy. 7 The pair has two sons, Jackson, 16, and Miller, 12, as well as an 11-year-old daughter, Lucy. kelleywolf/Instagram 7 'Our children have always been, and continue to be, the loves of our lives and our every priority,' Scott said in his statement to The Post this week, 'so I kindly ask for privacy at this time as we help guide them through this new chapter.' Scott Wolf/Instagram Besides starring as the heartthrob Bailey Salinger on 'Party of Five' with Matthew Fox (Charlie), Neve Campbell (Julia) and Lacey Chabert (Claudia) from 1994 to 2000, Scott also starred as Jeremy Kates in 'The Nine' and Dr. Scott Clemmens on NBC's 'The Night Shift.' Kelley, for her part, appeared as a contestant on MTV's 'The Real World: New Orleans' in 2000. 'I am stepping into a chapter of peace, freedom, and protection—with grace,' Kelley concluded her Instagram post announcing the divorce news this week. 'Thank you to the many friends, family, and professionals who have held space for me with love.' 'Please respect our privacy during this time,' she added. 'May we all remember: healing isn't loud. It's sacred.'
Axios
3 hours ago
- Axios
Fans are wearing bald caps to Pitbull shows. Miami rapper thanks his "baldies"
Ladies love him. Everyone wants to be him — bald head and all. Pitbull, the Miami native and club-rap superstar, is embracing a viral trend where fans show up to his concerts wearing bald caps and fake beards to copy his signature look. Why it matters: It's the latest iteration of the concert uniform, as the New York Times describes it, popularized by artists like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and — historically — the late Florida singer Jimmy Buffett. Catch up quick: The social media-fueled phenomenon started after COVID-19 but has gone "to a whole other level" during Pitbull's current European tour, the rapper — real name: Armando Christian Pérez — told BBC News. The globe-trotting Cuban-American artist, nicknamed Mr. Worldwide, has always been a favorite target for fan imitation: His quotable lyrics ("Dale!"), nostalgic party anthems and trademark look have made his brand eternally durable. The latest: Masses of fans showed up to his London concert on Monday in full Pitbull regalia, turning the crowd into a "sea of nude latex," the Times reported. "To wander among the Pitbulls feels like Halloween night, if Halloween had only one costume option and it was Pitbull," Times reporter Callie Holtermann wrote. "I'm pretty sure every party shop in London is sold out of bald caps," a fan told the newspaper. Pitbull, ever the business man, even started selling a " Mr. 305 kit" with a bald cap and bowtie for $19.99. Outside the O2 Arena, fans told the Times that it was "one big inside joke" or "mob mentality" that motivated them to draw on fake mustaches with liquid eyeliner and cut up stockings to make bald caps. It resembled, per the Times, "one of the planet's largest and most haphazardly assembled drag shows." What they're saying: Pitbull told the BBC it's "an honor" and makes him "very happy" to have fans dress as him for his shows. "To be able to motivate and inspire them, and see that they feel that it's deeper than just music, like they're a part of a movement and have a purpose in what we got going on, that to me is priceless." The bottom line:"So to all the baldies, thank you, I appreciate you — and they're the baldies because we soar high like bald eagles."
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Reigning Coney Island hot dog champ wants Joey Chestnut back even if it means losing title
This news is hard to swallow. Reigning Nathan's hot dog-eating champ Patrick Bertoletti fears he may no longer be the top dog amid rumors that notorious eater Joey Chestnut might be back for the annual Coney Island contest. 'Joey is the best hot dog eater ever, so to say I have a chance to win — I guess you can say it, but I don't know. It's difficult to beat him. He's the best for a reason,' Chicago's pride Bertoletti told The Post Wednesday. Advertisement 3 Patrick Bertoletti won the Mustard Belt after wolfing down 58 franks at last year's Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog eating contest. Paul Martinka Bertoletti took home the 2024 Mustard Belt at last year's Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest — which Chestnut was dramatically barred from over a contract dispute related to a sponsorship deal with another hot dog brand. Had the the 16-time Nathan's champ been there, he would have been a hard nut to crack for Bertoletti, who won by wolfing down 58 dogs — which is nearly 20 less than Chestnut's Nathan's personal best of 76 franks. Advertisement Chestnut also hadn't eaten less than 60 at the Coney Island contest since 2011 — and just two months after missing last year's Nathan's contest, Chestnut won another event with a record-breaking 83 franks. It was revealed Tuesday that Chestnut and Major League Eating were actively negotiating to have him return to the annual Coney Island event, though nothing was yet confirmed. Bertoletti also shot down any suggestions that the contested back-and-forth could have been a PR stunt, saying: 'I don't think anyone was that good to do that. I mean, if he does come back, it's probably make the contest bigger than ever. But I don't think that at all.' While hard to digest, the news isn't the wurst, Bertoletti emphasized — calling Chestnut his dining buddy for more than two decades. Advertisement 3 Joey Chestnut celebrates after eating 57 hotdogs in five minutes at the Pop Goes the Fort eating contest on Fort Bliss, Texas on July 4, 2024. Justin Hamel for the NY Post 'It didn't feel right without him there. I know if he wasn't there I'd have a better shot to win, but I'd rather he'd be there than anything else,' Bertoletti said, revealing he was fresh off a video chat with his hungry rival. That doesn't mean he's not going to give Chestnut a run for his money, he warned: 'I'm a realist. But what I'm saying is, out of anyone else who has a chance to beat him?' Bertoletti admitted he was looking forward to having the heat off him if Chestnut returns, noting that he liked 'flying under the radar' throughout the last few years of competition. Advertisement 'Being a returning champ, everyone is looking at me, which is weird because I'm not used to that,' Bertoletti said. Bertoletti has been conducting miniature hot dog 'practices' several times a week — and even posted some videos of him curling packs of Nathan's dogs in preparation for the big contest. 'It's just it's not pretty. It's not interesting either. Just a lot of hot dogs,' he said of his training, adding that it's easy because he never gets tired of eating the franks. 3 Bertoletti hopes to beat his record of 58 franks, with a new goal of gobbling up at least 60. Paul Martinka While he would relish in first place, the current title holder has his eyes on setting a new personal dog record and hopes to eat at least 60 — a far cry from the world record-breaking 83 franks Chestnut gobbled up last September. After being banned from the Coney Island contest, Chestnut competed instead at the Pop Goes the Fort eating contest on Fort Bliss, where he scarfed down 57 dogs in just five minutes. Advertisement And more importantly, Bertoletti is looking forward to having fun. 'I would have never expected the reigning hot dog champion. This past year has been awesome and I'm just trying to enjoy it. I don't take myself too seriously,' he added.
