A trial could be looming for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni following legal feud


Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's ongoing legal feud has been widely covered in recent months, as the two actors have launched legal cases against one another following the release of It Ends With Us. The actors have filed cases pertaining to their experiences both on set and in the aftermath of the release, and now New York Federal Judge Lewis J. Liman has set a trial date for them should their case get that far. According to Sky News, the date in question will be in March 2026.
It Ends With Us was the catalyst for the fallout. Fans noticed early signs of trouble between Blake, who starred as Lily Bloom, and Justin, who directed and also starred as her on-screen love interest Ryle Kincaid. When the press tour started last summer, they noticeably kept their distance and did not give any interviews together. During junket interviews, Justin remained alone while Blake was often paired with some of her other costars. Rumours of a feud escalated when Justin wasn't pictured with any other cast members at the film's premiere in August, as noted by Entertainment Weekly.
Blake faced an onslaught of criticism at the time, and in December 2024 she filed a legal complaint against Justin, accusing him - and other members of the film crew - of sexual harassment. She also accused him of trying to damage her reputation via a team of crisis publicists he had hired. Justin has refuted all claims against him.
Soon afterwards, The New York Times published an investigation into the film, which included snippets of text conversations between Justin and his publicists alluding to a strategic smear campaign against Blake. But Justin soon retaliated, filing his own lawsuit against Blake, accusing her of attempting to smear his reputation. Justin and his legal team have also released footage and other pieces of evidence they allege disproves some of the claims made by Blake.
In response to this, the Gossip Girl actress's lawyers said: "The endless stream of defamatory and extrajudicial media statements must end."
Justin's lawyer responded that their camp would 'respect the court' but added: "All we want is for people to see the actual text messages that directly contradict her allegations, video footage that clearly shows there was no sexual harassment and all the other powerful evidence that directly contradicts any false allegations."
More as this story develops.
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
-
Gucci launches The Art of Silk celebrating it's rich legacy of timeless silk scarves
Iconic
By Lily Russo-Bah
-
What does the Spring Statement mean for me?
Millions of British households are being hit with a wave of household bill hikes and welfare cuts — So how will the Spring Statement impact women like you?
By Mischa Anouk Smith
-
Introducing the expert judges of the first ever dedicated Marie Claire UK Fragrance Awards
They know a good scent when they smell one
By Lollie King
-
Blake Lively addresses the fan reaction to her latest film with Anna Kendrick
She's thrilled
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Why Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds skipped the Oscars this year
It makes sense
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Blake Lively's comments about 'asserting herself' on movie sets have resurfaced
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Why Blake Lively didn't join Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl this year
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Ryan Reynolds may have just landed Blake Lively in some trouble
We're having Posh and Becks déjà vu
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Blake Lively defended by It Ends With Us co-star after 'vilifying' backlash
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Blake Lively shares statement following criticism of 'It Ends With Us' press tour
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
-
Justin Baldoni hires a crisis manager following Blake Lively 'It Ends With Us' fallout
Feud rumours are going wild
By Iris Goldsztajn