The professional relationship between actress Blake Lively and actor-director Justin Baldoni has disintegrated into a complex web of lawsuits, with allegations of sexual harassment, retaliatory smear campaigns, and a bitter struggle for creative control over their 2024 film "It Ends With Us." The legal feud, which began with a complaint filed by Lively in December 2024, has since expanded to include countersuits, a separate action against The New York Times, and a trial date set for May 18, 2026.
Lively's initial legal complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights Department on December 20, 2024, accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, and inflicting emotional distress. The complaint named 11 defendants, including Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and its CEO, Jamey Heath. It alleged Baldoni showed her "nude videos and images of women," improvised intimate scenes without consent, and entered her trailer while she was naked.
From Reddit Rumours to Legal Filings
The rift first became public during the summer 2024 press tour for "It Ends With Us," a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel. Fans noted Lively and Baldoni did not interact at events, and speculation intensified when it was observed that Lively, Hoover, and other cast members did not follow Baldoni on Instagram. A clip of co-star Jenny Slate seemingly avoiding a question about Baldoni at the New York premiere further fueled rumours of a behind-the-scenes conflict.
Online sentiment turned against Lively, with some accusing her of trying to "take over" the film. This theory was seemingly supported by interviews where Baldoni stated he sometimes "would get out of the way too much" regarding collaboration and credited Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds—who was not a producer—with contributing to the script.
Allegations of a "Smear Machine"
Central to Lively's complaint is the allegation that after she raised concerns about on-set behaviour in January 2023, Baldoni and Heath hired crisis PR representative Melissa Nathan and contractor Jed Wallace to orchestrate a plan to "destroy" her public reputation. The complaint states this included having Baldoni break from the agreed marketing plan—which avoided discussing the film's domestic abuse plot—to explain why cast members had unfollowed him.
Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, categorically denied the allegations, calling them "false accusations" and a "desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation." In a countersuit filed on January 16, 2025, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios sued Lively, Reynolds, and Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane for $400 million, alleging they hijacked the film and orchestrated a smear campaign to destroy his reputation and livelihood.
Evidence and Escalation
The legal battle has played out partially in public. In January 2025, Baldoni's team released nearly 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage of a dance scene, which they said showed "mutual respect and professionalism." Lively's attorneys countered that the video corroborated her story, showing "every moment of this was improvised by Mr. Baldoni with no discussion or consent in advance."
In June 2025, US District Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit, ruling that Lively's harassment claims were legally protected speech. The judge formally ended that suit in October 2025 after Baldoni's side missed a deadline to amend it. However, Lively's original lawsuit against Baldoni proceeded.
Unsealed Documents and Narrowed Claims
In January 2026, as part of pre-trial evidence sharing, documents from Lively's side were unsealed. These included text messages with friend Taylor Swift, in which Swift referred to Baldoni as a "bitch" and Lively called him the "doofus director." A deposition from co-star Jenny Slate described an incident where Baldoni told her, "I can say this because my wife is here, but you look sexy in what you're wearing," which she called "not appropriate."
On April 2, 2026, Judge Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims in Lively's lawsuit, including those for harassment and defamation. Three claims remain for trial: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. Settlement talks began in February 2026 but did not yield an immediate resolution.
The civil trial between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is scheduled to begin on May 18, 2026, in New York. The outcome will determine liability on the three remaining claims and could have significant ramifications for Hollywood workplace dynamics and the public narratives surrounding on-set conflicts.