Blake Lively’s $550M lawsuit against Justin Baldoni moves to trial after failed talks

For over more than a year, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's public feud has been taking new twists and turns, leading to polarised opinions from the public. It led to a court case, and the two were unable to reach a settlement during a court-ordered conference in New York on Wednesday. In other words, their explosive legal battle is to head toward its May 18 trial date.

The session took place at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan. It was the first time the It Ends With Us co-stars appeared in court together since Lively filed her lawsuit. The goal: determine whether the case could be resolved quietly before trial. The outcome: unsuccessful.

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, confirmed the talks as 'unsuccessful' while noting there is 'always a chance of settlement. For now, however, both sides appear headed for trial.

The lawsuit stems from allegations filed by Lively against Baldoni, who also directed the 2024 romance drama, and the film’s producers. She has accused them of sexual harassment, smear campaign, retaliation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The total damages sought now stand at $550 million.

Baldoni, obviously, has strongly denied the allegations. He previously filed a $400 million countersuit for defamation and extortion against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, but that case was dismissed in June.

The settlement conference was overseen by Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. Lively attended alone. Baldoni arrived with his wife, Emily Baldoni. Reynolds did not appear to be present.

The failed negotiations follow Baldoni’s recent attempt to have Lively’s lawsuit thrown out. His legal team argued last month that her claims amounted to “petty slights.” Lively’s attorneys rejected that characterisation, alleging that Baldoni and other defendants fostered a sexually charged work environment during production that marginalised women, and later publicly attacked her after she raised concerns.

As the case has unfolded, unsealed court documents have intensified public scrutiny. US District Judge Lewis J. Liman earlier ordered several filings to be made public, including internal emails, text messages and voice memos.

Among the disclosures include, a four-minute voice memo Lively sent to Baldoni, and text exchanges involving Taylor Swift, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Messages between Lively and Swift, where the latter slams Baldoni, including one in which Lively sought support regarding Baldoni and the film, have drawn particular attention. Ryan Reynolds texts have also played a role here, where he stood up for his wife.

Depositions from cast and crew have also surfaced. Jenny Slate, who played Baldoni’s on-screen sister, described the shoot as “really gross and disturbing” in private messages to Lively. In testimony, she said she had written of Baldoni: “I honestly have never ever encountered anything like this dude. He’s the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist. Lots of lessons learned!”

Other records include a private August 2024 text exchange between Jameela Jamil and her publicist Jennifer Abel, who also represented Baldoni at the time.

Despite the high-profile names and mounting documents, the key fact remains unchanged: there is no settlement.

With negotiations stalled and no agreement reached, the courtroom, not a conference table, now appears to be where this chapter of the It Ends With Us saga will continue. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18.