Blake Lively is speaking out — in her own words — after a judge tossed out her sexual harassment claims against her “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni.
“I am grateful for the Court’s ruling which allows the heart of my case to be presented to a jury next month, and for the ability to finally tell my story in full at trial, for my own sake, but also for those who don’t have the same opportunity to … many of whom I have known and loved deeply in my life, and the countless I’ll never know,” the actress, 38, wrote in a lengthy statement on her Instagram Stories Friday.
“The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, but I brought this case because of the pervasive RETALIATION I faced, and continued to, for privately and professionally asking for a safe working environment for myself and others.”
The “Gossip Girl” alum further shared that while her situation might be seen by some as “celebrity drama,” she hopes others who have gone through similar situations can relate to her story.
“The physical pain from digital violence is very real. It is abuse. And it’s everywhere. Not just in the news, but in your communities and schools,” she wrote.
Lively, whose reputation may never recover from her court battle with Baldoni, explained that digital violence “affects us all,” including women and children.
“So much critical work has already been done to expose systems, tactics and players who harm. The work to create more safety is in part at trial, but it will also continue far after this trial is over. This is the work I’m most proud of,” she shared.
“I couldn’t begin to stand up if not for the countless who’ve gone before me – and the masses who are still around us all — creating laws, social change, sparking conversations, rallying, working privately and publicly, risking and sometimes losing everything for the safety of others in all spaces. Some whose names we know, most we don’t. Thank you. All of you.”
Lively said she “will never stop doing” her part in the fight to “expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence and retaliate against victims.”
“I know it’s a privilege to be able to stand up. I will not waste it,” she concluded, adding a dragon emoji — a possible reference to her calling husband Ryan Reynolds and former friend Taylor Swift her “dragons” in a text to Baldoni.
Reps for Baldoni didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
Lively’s new statement comes one day after Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims she made against Baldoni in her lawsuit, which she first filed in December 2024.
The allegations that were dismissed included harassment, defamation and conspiracy. Her claims of breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation will continue in the long-running legal saga.
An attorney for Lively’s team spoke out on Thursday, telling Page Six that for the “Simple Favor” actress, the case “has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy Blake Lively’s reputation because she stood up for safety on the set and that is the case that is going to trial.”
Sigrid McCawley added that for the actress, “the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted.”
“She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight,” the statement concluded, while noting that the “sexual harassment [claim] isn’t going forward not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”
In a separate statement to Page Six on Thursday, Baldoni’s attorneys said they were “grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence that was provided” and stated they “look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”
Lively and Baldoni’s lengthy legal battle started in late 2024, when she accused the “It Ends With Us” director of creating a “hostile work environment,” sexual harassment and orchestrating an alleged smear campaign against her.
Baldoni, who has vehemently denied the allegations, countersued Lively and Reynolds for $400 million but his lawsuit was tossed by a judge in June 2025.
Lively’s lawsuit is scheduled for trial, starting on May 18. Her and Baldoni’s lawyers will also reportedly meet on Monday for a last-ditch settlement attempt.
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