Blake Lively Withdraws 'Emotional Distress' Claims from Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni

American actress Blake Lively has requested the withdrawal of two accusations filed against director and actor Justin Baldoni, with whom she worked on the film adaptation of "Breaking the Circle," released last summer. This partial withdrawal is part of an ongoing legal battle between the two Hollywood figures since December 2024.

Specifically, Lively has requested the removal of charges for "intentional infliction of emotional distress" and "negligence in the infliction of emotional distress." According to legal documents revealed this week, the decision follows Baldoni's legal team's request for access to the actress's medical records, including therapy notes, as part of their defense against the accusations.

The director's defense claims that the withdrawal is due to the actress's refusal to provide such information. "Instead of complying with the reasonable request for medical documentation, Ms. Lively has stated in writing that she is withdrawing her claims related to emotional distress," the court documents accessed by Variety read. However, Baldoni's lawyers have requested that the withdrawal be "with prejudice," which would prevent Lively from re-filing those charges in the future. Nevertheless, her legal representatives have refused, leaving open the possibility that the accusations could be reintroduced later.

Meanwhile, the actress's lawyers, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, have accused Baldoni of using these legal maneuvers as part of a media strategy. "This is a routine part of the legal process, which they are exploiting as a media spectacle. We are doing what litigating lawyers do: preparing the case for trial, focusing and optimizing it," they explained in statements reported by People.

Despite the partial withdrawal, the "Gossip Girl" actress maintains other serious accusations in her lawsuit, including sexual harassment, workplace retaliation, and a defamation campaign allegedly orchestrated by Baldoni and his entourage. She is also seeking a multimillion-dollar compensation for the damages suffered.

The conflict began in December 2024, when Lively sued Baldoni following the filming of "Breaking the Circle," an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel. In it, Lively plays Lily Bloom, a woman who breaks free from the cycles of abuse that marked her childhood. The actress alleged that the director's behavior during production had an "extreme emotional impact," also affecting her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and their four children.

In response, Baldoni countered in January with a lawsuit for civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy, which also involves Reynolds and the actress's publicists.

This plot twist adds to the withdrawal of the subpoena for Taylor Swift, one of Lively's best friends. Baldoni accused her of influencing creative decisions in the film and being involved in the discredit campaign against him. The actress's lawyers argued that it was an attempt to obtain "baseless" evidence, while the music star denied any involvement. Ultimately, the subpoena was recently withdrawn; however, the relationship between the two friends has been strained in this process.

In any case, both lawsuits continue, and unless an out-of-court settlement is reached, the trial is scheduled for March 2026 in the Southern District Court of New York. Although Lively has dropped two of her claims, her representatives insist that the legal fight continues: "Our client remains committed to exposing the retaliatory tactics faced by those who dare to report inappropriate workplace behavior," they concluded.