Latest news with #TIME100GalaJazz
UPI
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
N.Y. judge tosses Justin Baldoni's $400M lawsuit against Blake Lively
1 of 3 | Actress Blake Lively (L) and husband Ryan Reynolds (R) arrived April 9 on the red carpet at the 2025 TIME100 Gala Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo June 9 (UPI) -- A New York judge on Monday dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400M lawsuit against actress Blake Lively. Federal Judge Lewis Liman of New York's southern district accepted the motion to dismiss the multi-million-dollar counter lawsuit filed by Baldoni that alleged defamation and extortion. In addition, the judge, likewise, tossed out a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times. "The [parties in the suit known as the] Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged," Liman wrote in his 132-page ruling. "The Wayfarer Parties' additional claims also fail," the judge added. "Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety." However, Liman noted that Baldoni, 41, will still have the legal option to amend his claims for breach of implied covenant and contract interference with a June 23 deadline. The It Ends With Us director Baldoni was accused in December of sexual harassment by his co-star Lively, which Baldoni claimed was "categorically false." In January, Baldoni filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times over an article that "falsely" detailed Lively's allegations during filming. Lively, 37, claimed in her California Civil Rights Department complaint filed Dec. 20 that the harassment damaged her business and caused her family, including husband actor Ryan Reynolds, "severe emotional distress" and after the suit alleged Reynolds called Baldoni a "sexual predator." On Monday, lawyers for Lively -- Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb -- called the court decision a "total victory and a complete vindication." "As we have said from day one, this $400 million lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it," they said in the statement, adding they look forward to the "next round," which will be to seek attorney fees, treble and punitive damages. Discovery+ announced plans in March to air a docuseries in Britain this month called Baldoni vs. Lively: A Hollywood Feud. Meanwhile, the trial for Baldoni and Lively, which was scheduled for March 26, was expected to see both names testify.
UPI
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: 'SNL' Season 50 closes out with Scarlett Johansson, Trump Middle East tour parody
Scarlett Johansson arrives on the red carpet at the 2025 TIME100 Gala Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 24. She guest hosted "SNL" this weekend. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo May 18 (UPI) -- Oscar-winning actress Scarlett Johansson guest hosted the milestone 50th season of NBC's sketch-comedy series, Saturday Night Live, this weekend. Her opening monologue turned into a cast sing-a-long about the ups and downs of working on the show -- where Johansson's husband Colin Jost is a writer and "Weekend Update" co-anchor -- set to the tune of Billy Joel's classic song, "Piano Man." "Sing us a song, it's your monologue," they sang. "Sing us a song tonight. Cause we made 50 years of great memories every night." She also appeared in several sketches that mined for laughs topics such as first-class air travel, local news broadcasters, Hollywood intimacy coordinators, press junkets and couples at a bar. One of the most memorable segments saw her playing a woman pleasantly surprised to find herself in an elevator with real-life, former SNL star Mike Myers. She fan-girled for a moment, which Myers politely tolerated, but then Kenan Thompson boarded the lift, playing disgraced rapper Kanye West, and immediately made Johansson and Myers feel uncomfortable with his loud, inappropriate chit-chat. SNL also took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump's tour of the Middle East last week. James Austin Johnson played the enthusiastic Trump, while Emil Wakim portrayed Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "I love Dubai because they 'do-buy' a lot of weapons. But I've had a great trip here in the Middle East. It was very much a boys' trip. I don't think I saw a single woman. What's up with that?" Johnson as Trump said. "The women are all hiding. It's like a nation of Melanias." Rapper Bad Bunny also provided the musical entertainment for Saturday's episode.
