The New York Times (NYT) has formally requested a federal judge to dismiss Justin Baldoni’s $250 million defamation lawsuit, arguing that the case lacks merit.
The lawsuit stems from the Times’ December 21, 2024, article titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” The article claimed that Baldoni, his team, and billionaire investor Steve Sorowitz launched a campaign to damage Blake Lively’s reputation after she raised concerns about his on-set behavior while filming It Ends With Us.
Baldoni claims the Times worked with Lively’s PR team to push the damaging story. His lawsuit argues that the publication misrepresented events and played an active role in escalating the controversy.
The NYT’s Defense
In its court filing, the New York Times asserts that Baldoni’s case is an attempt to silence the press rather than a valid legal challenge.
- Legitimate reporting – The Times argues it was simply doing its job by covering Lively’s official complaint.
- Public interest story – The article focused on power dynamics in Hollywood, making it newsworthy.
- No defamation – The Times claims Baldoni is attempting to rewrite history rather than disprove factual reporting.
A spokesperson for the newspaper, Danielle Rhoades Ha, called the lawsuit a “misguided PR campaign” that does not hold legal weight.
Blake Lively’s Response
Lively’s team has supported the New York Times’ motion to dismiss, calling Justin Baldoni’s case a “shameless attempt” to deflect from the real issue – her allegations against him.
Her statement noted that Baldoni’s public stance on believing women’s voices contradicts his aggressive legal push to discredit her.
A federal judge will now decide whether the case moves forward or gets dismissed. If the motion is denied, the lawsuit could proceed to trial, putting both the Times and Lively under legal scrutiny.
If dismissed, it would be a major win for press freedom, reinforcing that reporting on high-profile disputes is protected under U.S. law.
Baldoni’s legal team has yet to respond to the dismissal motion, but this battle is far from over.
