Legal Battle Heats Up Between "It Ends With Us" Stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

The ongoing legal conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni took center stage in a recent court hearing led by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. During this pretrial session held in New York City, the judge cautioned both legal teams against continuing their public exchanges. Although Lively and Baldoni were absent from the hearing, Liman indicated that the ongoing war of statements may prompt him to consider moving up the trial, which is currently set for March 2026.

The dispute commenced when Lively made accusations against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment during the filming of “It Ends With Us.” She further claimed that he collaborated with others to damage her reputation in the media. In retaliation, Baldoni has filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. Lively’s legal team requested a gag order to prevent Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, from continuing what they described as a “harassing and retaliatory media campaign” against her.

During the court proceedings, Lively's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, expressed the emotional toll the ongoing legal battles have taken on his client. He depicted the situation as an “arms race” driven by media leaks and accusations. The hearing, intended to address case management and discovery issues, quickly devolved into exchanges of blame for leaks, harassment, and retaliation between both parties.

While both sides are pushing for progress in the discovery phase, Baldoni's legal representatives have indicated their readiness to depose Lively, a move her team vehemently opposes. Judge Liman denied the request to depose Lively but made it clear she cannot dictate her interrogator. Baldoni's attorneys have been proactive recently, creating a website linked to his lawsuit and releasing documents that they claim exemplify messages exchanged between the two, many of which seem amicable.

Baldoni is pursuing a staggering $400 million in damages, claiming defamation and extortion. In response, Lively's team has characterized Baldoni's tactics as indicative of a broader pattern seen in abusers, known as DARVO—deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender. Additionally, Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of collaborating with Lively to further damage his image following a critical article about the alleged smear campaign against her.

The conflict traces back to when Lively lodged a civil rights complaint in Los Angeles in December, alleging sexual harassment from Baldoni while filming the movie. She accused him of orchestrating a media manipulation campaign to undermine her during their promotional activities. Baldoni's legal representatives have dismissed her allegations as entirely unfounded, adding fuel to the tumultuous narrative that has enveloped the stars since the film’s announcement.