Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni’s High-Profile Court Battle Over It Ends With Us Controversy To Commence On This Date?
The legal battle over It Ends With Us has gotten a trial date in 2026, where Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni will officially face off over their lawsuits.
When Is Justin Baldoni & Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us Battle Heading To Court? (Photo Credit – Koimoi)
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The controversy surrounding It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is not slowing down—in fact, it’s only heating up. The escalating drama has been marked by accusations of misconduct and retaliatory campaigns, ensuing multiple high-stakes lawsuits that continue to dominate headlines.
Dispelling rumors that an out-of-court settlement might be forthcoming, it has now been confirmed that their legal battle will head to court. The case is set for trial in New York next year, further fueling the drama that has drawn public fascination and polarized opinions.
Judge Lewis Jeffrey Liman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has officially scheduled the trial for March 9, 2026. The lawsuit will address Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and allegations that Baldoni orchestrated a smear campaign against her through Wayfarer Studios, producer Jamey Heath, publicist Jennifer Abel, and crisis manager and former associate of Johnny Depp, Melissa Nathan.
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The Jane The Virgin actor’s countersuit, alleging defamation and “bullying” by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and seeking $400 million in damages, is also set to be heard simultaneously.
While the high-profile trial remains a year away, another key development will arrive much as a pre-trial hearing has been pulled from February 12 to February 3. It will tackle a gag order motion filed by Lively, who has requested restrictions on Baldoni and his team from sharing “inflammatory material.”
The context of the gag order stems from events following Baldoni’s release of footage from the filming of It Ends With Us. The clip captures Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni shooting an intimate dancing scene. Baldoni maintains that it disproves the Gossip Girl actress’ allegation regarding his remark, “You smell good,” which seemingly referred to her spray tan. In the video, Lively replies, “It’s not that. It’s my body makeup.”
Lively’s legal team has discerned Baldoni’s attempts to defend himself by publicly sharing evidence as a ploy to undermine her voice, obstinately echoing it exemplifies his slandering tactics. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, repudiated these allegations, arguing that the footage was released solely to present “unedited truth.”
While Baldoni has also filed a separate lawsuit against The New York Times, seeking $250 million in damages for defamation, it remains unclear when it might head to trial. Baldoni alleges that the tabloid’s article traduced his reputation and falsely depicted him as a slanderer. His legal team argues that the article was published hours before his response deadline, leaving his side of the story conspicuously absent.
The NYT piece has also drawn criticism from Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa, who found herself implicated in the alleged smear campaign after reposting an old interview with Blake Lively, which resulted in public backlash against the Green Lantern actress.
