04/04/2026
Blake Lively has officially broken her silence following a significant legal setback in her ongoing battle with Justin Baldoni, her former It Ends With Us co star and director. On April 3, 2026, Lively posted a powerful statement to her Instagram Stories after a federal judge dismissed 10 out of 13 of her claims including allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. In her message, which she capped off with a single dragon emoji, Lively described the situation as "unfathomably painful" but vowed to keep "fighting to expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence, and retaliate against victims." The judge's decision to dismiss the harassment claims was notably based on the legal determination that Lively was an independent contractor rather than an employee, a technicality her legal team argued does not reflect the reality of the conduct she allegedly faced on set. The use of the dragon emoji is a particularly pointed move, as it directly references a 2025 leak where Lively allegedly compared herself to the Game of Thrones character Khaleesi in a text message, reportedly describing her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her close friend, Taylor Swift, as her "dragons" who protect those she fights for. By reclaiming the symbol now, Lively appears to be doubling down on her inner circle's support while urging the public not to be distracted by what she calls a "digital soap opera" of smear campaigns. Despite the major blow to her case, three of her claims including breach of contract and retaliation have been allowed to move forward, with a trial officially set to begin on May 18, 2026.