5 Shocking Revelations From The Blake Lively Vs. Justin Baldoni Lawsuit: A Timeline Of The 'It Ends With Us' Drama

The high-stakes legal battle between Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has dominated entertainment headlines, with the latest update as of December 12, 2025 confirming a significant delay in the sexual harassment trial. The controversy stems from their time working on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel, It Ends with Us, a production plagued by drama that has now spilled into a serious New York court case.

The core of the dispute involves Blake Lively's bombshell lawsuit against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment and a hostile work environment on the set. While Baldoni's retaliatory $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, has been dismissed by a federal judge, Lively's original claims remain active and are moving toward a highly anticipated trial, now scheduled for May 2026. This is everything you need to know about the ongoing legal drama.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni: A Dual-Profile Biography

Before the contentious legal proceedings, both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were celebrated figures in the entertainment industry, known for their successful careers in front of and behind the camera. The lawsuit has cast a shadow over their professional reputations, transforming their public narrative.

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Blake Lively: The Hollywood Powerhouse

• Full Name: Blake Ellender Brown (Professionally known as Blake Lively)
• Born: August 25, 1987 (Age 38)
• Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Notable Career Highlights:
  • Breakout role as Serena van der Woodsen in the hit TV series Gossip Girl (2007–2012).
  • Starring roles in films such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Town, Savages, and The Age of Adaline.
  • Entrepreneurial ventures, including the non-alcoholic mixer brand, Betty Buzz.
  • Married to actor Ryan Reynolds, with whom she shares four children.
• Role in Lawsuit: Plaintiff, alleging sexual harassment and hostile work environment on the It Ends with Us set.

Justin Baldoni: Actor, Director, and Producer

• Full Name: Justin Louis Baldoni
• Born: January 24, 1984 (Age 41)
• Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Notable Career Highlights:
  • Best known for his role as Rafael Solano in the critically acclaimed CW telenovela Jane the Virgin (2014–2019).
  • Director of films including Five Feet Apart and Clouds.
  • Co-founder of the production company Wayfarer Entertainment (now Wayfarer Studios), which produced It Ends with Us.
  • Advocacy work focusing on masculinity and self-reflection.
• Role in Lawsuit: Defendant in Lively’s sexual harassment suit. His $400 million countersuit for defamation was dismissed.

1. The Bombshell Allegations: Sexual Harassment and Hostile Work Environment

The original lawsuit, filed by Blake Lively in December 2024, paints a disturbing picture of the work environment on the set of It Ends with Us. Lively, who served as a producer and the film's star, accused Justin Baldoni—who was both the director and her co-star—of creating a hostile and toxic atmosphere.

The complaint includes specific and serious allegations of sexual harassment. According to court filings, Baldoni allegedly made inappropriate comments concerning the bodies of Lively and other women working on the production. These claims go beyond simple misconduct, suggesting a pattern of behavior that led to a breakdown in the professional relationship and ultimately, a legal confrontation.

Lively's legal team has argued that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, attempted to "avoid accountability" for the alleged actions. The severity of the claims is reflected in the substantial damages sought by Lively, reported to be around $161 million.

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2. The $400 Million Countersuit That Was Dismissed

In a dramatic turn of events that escalated the legal feud, Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios filed a massive $400 million countersuit against Blake Lively in January 2025. This countersuit was not just aimed at Lively; it also targeted her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist, Leslie Sloane, accusing them of defamation.

Baldoni’s legal team claimed that Lively and her associates had engaged in a coordinated effort to damage his reputation and the reputation of Wayfarer Studios in the media. However, this retaliatory lawsuit faced immediate legal hurdles.

In a major victory for Lively, a federal judge formally dismissed Baldoni's $400 million defamation case. The dismissal reportedly came after Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios missed a crucial deadline to provide essential information required by the court. This ruling effectively removed the retaliatory legal threat against Lively and Reynolds, allowing the focus to shift entirely back to the original sexual harassment claims.

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3. The Current Status: Trial Postponed and Settlement Talks Mandated

As of late 2025, the legal saga is far from over, but its trajectory has been clarified by the New York court. The most recent and critical updates center on the timeline for Lively's active sexual harassment lawsuit:

• Trial Postponement: The highly anticipated trial, originally scheduled to commence in March 2026, has been delayed. The new official date for the proceedings is now set for May 2026. This two-month postponement gives both legal teams more time to prepare for the complex case.
• Mandated Settlement Discussion: In a standard, yet telling, move for civil lawsuits in federal court, a judge directed both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to contact a magistrate judge to discuss a potential settlement. This instruction, issued in December 2025, suggests the court is encouraging the parties to resolve the dispute outside of a lengthy and public trial.

The court's decision to push for settlement talks underscores the high-profile nature of the case and the potential for a messy, drawn-out legal battle involving two major Hollywood figures. A settlement would prevent the details of the alleged misconduct and the inner workings of the It Ends with Us production from being fully aired in open court.

4. The 'It Ends With Us' Controversy and External Entities

The lawsuit is inextricably linked to the production of It Ends with Us, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's global phenomenon. The movie itself faced prior controversy from fans regarding casting choices and costume design, but the legal drama involving the stars has overshadowed all other concerns.

The legal filings have also brought other high-profile entities into the narrative. The dismissed countersuit specifically named Ryan Reynolds, Lively's husband, and a publicist, indicating the breadth of the initial legal attack. Furthermore, in a bizarre twist, reports surfaced that Taylor Swift was mentioned in leaked messages related to the case, though the exact context and relevance remain unclear to the core allegations.

The involvement of Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni's production company, highlights the corporate aspect of the alleged misconduct, suggesting that the claims extend beyond a simple interpersonal dispute to a failure of corporate responsibility in maintaining a safe work environment.

5. The Road Ahead: May 2026 and the Pressure to Settle

The current legal situation places immense pressure on both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. For Lively, the trial represents a pursuit of justice and accountability for the alleged sexual harassment. For Baldoni, it is a fight to protect his reputation, which has already been significantly damaged by the dismissal of his countersuit and the public nature of the allegations.

The May 2026 trial date looms as a critical deadline. However, the judge's mandate for settlement discussions suggests that a resolution could be reached much sooner. Both parties face the risk of further damaging revelations if the case proceeds to trial. The entertainment world is watching closely to see if the two stars can quietly resolve the dispute or if the full, explosive details of the It Ends with Us set will be revealed in a public courtroom.