Tue Jun 03 00:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Blake Lively Drops Emotional Distress Claims in Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

**New York, NY** – Actress Blake Lively has withdrawn claims of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress in her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni, her director and co-star in the upcoming film adaptation of “It Ends With Us.” The move comes amidst discovery disputes, with Baldoni’s legal team seeking access to Lively’s medical and mental health records to disprove her claims of suffering emotional distress.

Baldoni’s lawyer, Kevin Fritz, filed a letter requesting a HIPAA release from Lively, arguing that her withdrawal of the claims without prejudice – meaning she could refile them later – appeared to be an attempt to avoid disclosing relevant medical information.

Lively’s attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, dismissed the move as a standard litigation strategy. In a statement, they said, “We are doing what trial lawyers do: preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it; they are doing what they do: desperately seeking another tired round of tabloid coverage.” They emphasized that Lively “continues to allege emotional distress, as part of numerous other claims in her lawsuit, such as sexual harassment and retaliation, and massive additional compensatory damages on all of her claims.”

The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni began in December when Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint, alleging misconduct on set and a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni subsequently countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicists for extortion and defamation. Both cases, consolidated as *Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al.*, are scheduled for trial in March 2026.

In her initial filing, Lively alleged that Baldoni’s behavior had an “extreme” emotional impact on her and her family. She stated to *The New York Times* in December, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”

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