A trial date has been established for Blake Lively and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni from *It Ends With Us*. The two actors have initiated lawsuits against each other following Lively’s initial legal complaint, in which she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the film set and an alleged scheme to tarnish her reputation. In response, Baldoni filed a lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, claiming they hijacked the film’s production and marketing while attempting to defame him and others involved with the project through false allegations.
*It Ends With Us*, based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling 2016 novel, begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence. The film performed well at the box office after its August release, but was clouded by online rumors of a rift between the two leads, who were notably absent from each other’s side at the film’s premiere and did not participate in joint promotional interviews.
Federal Judge Lewis J. Liman has set the trial date for March 2026. This decision follows Lively’s legal team’s assertion that Baldoni’s attorney attempted to sway potential jurors by launching a website to disclose selected documents and communications between the two. Lively’s lawyers stated, “The endless stream of defamatory and extrajudicial media statements must end.”
Baldoni’s representative, Bryan Freedman, responded by affirming their respect for the court while expressing a desire for the public to see text messages and video evidence that allegedly refute Lively’s claims.
In a separate legal matter in Texas, Lively has requested a deposition order for a crisis management specialist she accuses of orchestrating social media manipulation that turned public opinion against her.
The legal saga began in late December when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company in New York, alleging sexual harassment and damage to her reputation, seeking unspecified damages. Baldoni’s lawsuit, filed earlier this month, accuses Lively and Reynolds of defamation and extortion, with damages sought amounting to at least $400 million. The judge indicated that he is likely to consolidate the lawsuits for trial. Earlier in January, Baldoni also filed a libel suit against *The New York Times*.