Justin Baldoni is reportedly facing significant financial and emotional distress due to his ongoing legal battle with It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively. The legal confrontation became more intense during a pre-trial conference on February 3, where the attorneys debated Lively’s proposed gag order. Baldoni’s legal team expressed that the situation has been devastating for him and others involved, including producers and publicists associated with the film.
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, highlighted the difficulty of combating public stories once they gain traction. He emphasized the challenges of fighting allegations that become perceived as facts once they’re made public. This legal dispute escalated further in mid-January when Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicists. Baldoni’s suit includes charges like civil extortion and defamation, and it was filed as a countersuit after Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a retaliatory smear campaign against her.
Lively’s lawsuit claims that Baldoni’s actions while filming and promoting It Ends With Us caused her significant emotional distress, anxiety, and trauma, leading her to seek damages related to emotional distress and interference with her business ventures, including her haircare line.
The legal battle also centers around leaked video footage from the set of the film, with Baldoni’s legal team opposing a proposed gag order. The judge overseeing the case, New York judge Lewis Liman, instructed both parties to cease making public comments that could influence the jury, which Lively’s legal team applauded.
With the trial set for March 2026, this ongoing legal fight is set to unfold over the next few years.