After weeks of legal back-and-forth, a judge set a trial date for the high-profile dispute between actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. The ongoing legal battle has included allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation and defamation.
Timeline of events
The public first noticed tension between the co-stars during their “It Ends With Us” promotional tour in August 2024. Fans pointed out that Lively and Baldoni had little interaction, fueling speculation about behind-the-scenes issues.
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On Dec. 20, Lively officially filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. She accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and claimed he orchestrated a smear campaign against her. Soon after, Baldoni was dropped by his talent agency, WME, while multiple public figures supported Lively.
Just six days later, on Dec. 26, Baldoni responded with a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times. He alleged the outlet cherry-picked details from Lively’s complaint while ignoring evidence that could contradict her claims.
By Dec. 31, Lively escalated the legal battle, filing a federal lawsuit against Baldoni, his production company and his PR team. She accused them of retaliation and a coordinated effort to harm her reputation.
Ryan Reynolds named in lawsuit
On Jan. 16, Baldoni countersued Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. His claims included civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.
According to Baldoni’s legal team, Reynolds actively supported Lively’s alleged efforts to damage Baldoni’s reputation. While Reynolds was not involved in the film, Baldoni alleges he participated in a meeting during filming to discuss Lively’s concerns about Baldoni’s behavior.
Raw footage released
On Jan. 21, Baldoni’s legal team released 10 minutes of unedited footage from the set of “It Ends With Us.” The move was intended to counter Lively’s allegations.
The footage shows Lively and Baldoni filming and interacting outside of their characters. At multiple points, Baldoni appears to lean in for a kiss, while Lively repeatedly suggests they chat during the scene to make it appear more romantic.
They also discuss their respective partners. However, the video contains moments Lively referenced in her complaint as inappropriate.
One specific moment shows Baldoni commenting on Lively’s scent during a slow dance scene:
“I’m probably getting spray tan on you,” Lively says.
“It smells good,” Baldoni responds.
“Well, it’s not that — it’s my body makeup,” says Lively.
Lively claims the interaction was unscripted and inappropriate for the scene.
Baldoni’s late-night voice memo
On Jan. 27, The Daily Mail obtained a voice memo Baldoni sent Lively at 2 a.m. In the recording, he apologized for his behavior during a reported argument about the rooftop scene in “It Ends With Us.”
Trial date set
The legal battle will now head to court. A judge set a trial date for March 9, 2026, when the various lawsuits will be addressed.
According to the Associated Press, the judge overseeing the case is likely to combine the lawsuits into a single trial.
