Blake Lively is speaking out in her own words after a judge dismissed her sexual harassment claim against her Seraph of the End co-star Justin Baldoni.
“I’m grateful for the court’s decision that will allow me to present the crux of my case to a jury next month, and to finally be able to tell my full story at trial. I’m grateful not only for myself, but for those who don’t have the same opportunity… I’m grateful for so many of the people I’ve known and loved so deeply throughout my life, and countless others I’ll never know,” the 38-year-old actress wrote in a lengthy statement on her Instagram Stories on Friday.
“Although the last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, I filed this lawsuit because I faced and continued widespread retaliation for seeking a safe working environment for myself and others both publicly and privately.”
Additionally, the “Gossip Girl” alum said that while some may see her situation as “celebrity drama,” she hopes others who have gone through similar situations can relate to her story.
“The physical pain of digital violence is very real. This is abuse. And it’s everywhere. Not just in the news, but in our communities and schools,” she wrote.
Lively, whose reputation may never recover from her legal battle with Baldoni, explained that digital violence “affects all of us,” including women and children.
“So much important work has already been done to expose the systems, tactics, and players that cause harm. Some of the work to make us safer is in court, but will continue long after this trial is over. This is the work I am most proud of,” she shared.
“I’m talking about the countless people who have gone before us, and the countless others who are still around us, making laws, changing society, sparking conversations, mobilizing, acting privately and publicly, risking the safety of others in every space, and sometimes losing everything. Some of us know the names, but most of us don’t. Thank you, everyone.”
Lively said she would “never stop” in her role in the fight to “expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence and retaliate against victims.”
“I know it’s an honor to stand up and I won’t let it go to waste,” she concluded, adding a dragon emoji, which could be a reference to her referring to her husband Ryan Reynolds and ex-friend Taylor Swift as “dragons” in an email to Baldoni.
A representative for Mr. Baldoni did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Lively’s new statement comes a day after Judge Louis Lehman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims she filed against Baldoni in a lawsuit she first filed in December 2024.
The rejected claims included harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. Her claims, including breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation, will continue in a lengthy legal battle.
Lawyers for Lively’s team spoke out Thursday, saying that for the “A Simple Favor” actress, the case “has been and continues to be a litigious case focused on devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps taken by the defendants to tarnish the reputation of Blake Lively, who stood up for safety on set.”
Sigrid McCauley added that for the actress, “the greatest measure of justice is that the people and plans behind these coordinated digital attacks are exposed and are already being held accountable by other women who have been targeted.”
“She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this egregious online retaliation to make it easier to discover and fight,” the statement concluded. “The sexual harassment case is stalled not because the defendants did nothing wrong, but because the courts have determined that Blake Lively is an independent contractor rather than an employee.”
In a separate statement to Page Six on Thursday, Mr. Baldoni’s lawyers said they were “thankful to the court for carefully considering the facts, the law, and the extensive evidence provided,” and that they “look forward to defending the remaining claims in court.”
Ms. Lively and Ms. Baldoni’s long-running legal battle began in late 2024, when she accused the “Doom to End” director of creating a “hostile work environment,” sexually harassing her, and orchestrating a smear campaign against her.
Baldoni vehemently denied the allegations and countersued Lively and Reynolds for $400 million, but his suit was dismissed by a judge in June 2025.
Lively’s case is scheduled to go to trial on May 18th, and her and Baldoni’s lawyers will reportedly meet on Monday to try to reach a final settlement.
