“Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have met face-to-face for the first time in two years (Picture: Reuters) The volatile court battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continues to drag on after the It Ends with Us stars sat through a mammoth six-hour court session. The production of the pair’s 2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s”, — write: metro.co.uk
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have met face-to-face for the first time in two years (Picture: Reuters) The volatile court battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continues to drag on after the It Ends with Us stars sat through a mammoth six-hour court session.
The production of the pair’s 2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel came under the spotlight when tensions first emerged between the two co-stars during the film’s publicity tour.
While both starred in the film, Baldoni also directed, while Lively was an executive producer.
Amid rumours they’d had an almighty falling out while working together, Lively then dropped a bombshell when filing a lawsuit in December 2024 against Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios, accusing them of sexual harassment and intimidation.
She has alleged that Baldoni is liable for at least $161million (£117million) in damages and lost income arising from what she claimed was a smear campaign levelled against her during the movie’s release.
Denying the allegations, Baldoni then sued The New York Times for libel over their siding with Lively’s account of events, and later sued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane for civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy.
The It Ends with Us stars were in court in New York for a settlement conference (Picture:
Reuters) 
Lively is suing Baldoni and his production company for sexual harassment and intimidation (Picture: Reuters)
Why were Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in court? Although the $400million (£293million) lawsuit was dismissed, the pair appeared in court yesterday for a settlement conference, a standard procedure for a federal civil litigation to determine if their case can be settled outside of court ahead of a May 18 trial date relating to Lively’s case of sexual harassment against her director and co-star.
However, after attending court on Wednesday, and spending six hours with Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave for their mandated mediation, Lively and Baldoni failed to reach a settlement.
Speaking to reporters outside the New York City courthouse, Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman confirmed a deal had yet to be reached, adding the following when asked if he believed the case would go to trial: ‘I do. We’re looking forward to it.’
However, he did also say there was ‘always a chance’ for settlement.
People has reported that settlement talks are expected to resume at a yet to be announced date.
Baldoni was accompanied by his wife Emily Baldoni (Picture: Eduardo Munoz/ Reuters) Lively, 38, and Baldoni, 42, separately passed by the media on their way out of the building, each saying nothing.
This settlement conference also marked the pair’s first face-to-face meeting in several years – they had not been in the same room together since production on It Ends With Us wrapped in early 2024.
While the Jane the Virgin actor was seen walking hand in hand with his wife, Emily Baldoni, Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds did not appear to be in attendance.
Lively is seeking $161million (£117million) in damages and lost income arising from what she claimed was a smear campaign levelled against her (Picture: Lia Toby/ Getty Images) What happened with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni? Since the legal battles were launched by the pair, bombshell testimonies from the movie’s cast and crew have shed a light on the drama that unfolded behind the scenes.
Texts between Jenny Slate, who starred in the film as Baldoni’s on-screen sister, were recently released, in which Slate described the movie’s shoot as ‘really gross and disturbing’.
She also wrote about 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!’
Meanwhile, texts Lively sent referred to Baldoni as ‘this doofus director of my movie’ and described him as ‘a clown’ who ‘thinks he’s a writer now’.
Similarly, texts sent by Baldoni also referenced the friction between him and Lively.
In February 2024, Baldoni told producer Jamey Heath that he was concerned Lively would use the allegations she had made against him as leverage.
Rumours of a massive fallout first started swirling when their movie was released in 2024 (Picture: AP) ‘She had the nuclear bomb. If she doesn’t promote the movie she can leak that I’m a bad person or that she felt unsafe with me and “all the stuff” she has on me. Then she’s the victim,’ he wrote.
Lively’s sexual harassment complaint has seen her list more than 100 names of potential witnesses, including Emily Blunt, Gigi Hadid and Hugh Jackman.
In a hearing last month, Baldoni’s lawyers argued for a dismissal of the case, claiming the dispute was a creative disagreement rather than misconduct, while Lively maintains his behaviour was consistently inappropriate.
Attorneys for both have indicated that they plan to testify during Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al. trial, which is scheduled to begin on May 18 in New York.
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