The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has escalated as Lively’s attorneys challenge Baldoni’s recent motion for summary judgment in their ongoing court dispute. The Blake Lively lawsuit update centers on accusations of a hostile work environment, with both sides gearing up for a potential trial in 2026.
Blake Lively’s lawyers argue that Baldoni, who is both her co-star and director on “It Ends With Us,” and his associates are attempting to avoid a public trial by undermining the seriousness of the claims. According to recently filed court documents, Lively’s team asserted,
“In their latest effort to avoid accountability for the hostile environment they created during the production and marketing of It Ends With Us, Justin Baldoni [and other defendants] ask this court to shield them from trial and deny Blake Lively her day in court, by throwing the kitchen sink at Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation claims,”
Lively’s team, court documents. They further declared,
“But defendants’ scattershot theories collapse under the weight of the overwhelming evidence, in documents and testimony from witness after witness,”
Lively’s team, court documents.
Claims of Toxicity on Set and Response from Defendants
Lively’s legal representatives have maintained, even in heavily redacted filings, that Baldoni and several other parties played a role in intensifying harmful narratives about the actress throughout the production period. They deny the defense claim that this conflict is about petty disagreements, stating,
“This is not, as defendants claim, a story of minor annoyances fueled by creative differences, but instead one of a toxic environment,”
Lively’s team, court documents. Furthermore, Lively’s camp claims,
“Defendants filed a frivolous lawsuit, now dismissed, and their lawyer supercharged the Wayfarer defendant’s narratives through friendly journalists and content creators,”
Lively’s team, court documents.
The December 2024 lawsuit filed by Lively alleges that Baldoni’s behavior led to “severe emotional distress” for her and that a formal meeting was called to address what she described as a hostile work environment on the film’s set. After these allegations surfaced, Baldoni’s legal team responded publicly, calling the claims
“completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious,”
Baldoni’s lawyer, public statement. They attributed the lawsuit to an attempt to “fix her negative reputation” and “rehash a narrative” concerning the film. In January, Baldoni initiated his own lawsuit against Lively, but this was dismissed by June.
Approaching Trial and Ongoing Legal Arguments
In late 2024, Baldoni’s attorneys submitted their motion for summary judgment, downplaying Lively’s allegations as a “litany of minor grievances” and arguing that the conduct was not
“severe or pervasive enough to create an objectively hostile or abusive work environment,”
Baldoni’s legal team, court motion. Nevertheless, Lively’s attorneys have countered these assertions, maintaining that the evidence is substantive and deserves to be presented before a jury. As stated in their most recent filing,
“The record evidence is clear: Lively’s claims survive summary judgment and must be sent to a jury,”
Lively’s team, latest court filing. They have urged,
“The court should deny the MSJ in full,”
Lively’s team, latest court filing.
Both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are expected to testify when the trial commences, which is tentatively scheduled for March 2026. Legal observers have speculated about a possible settlement before trial, but so far both sides appear poised to proceed with court proceedings.
Baldoni’s Attorney Addresses the Intensity and Impact of the Case
Attorney Bryan Freedman, representing Justin Baldoni, emphasized the seriousness of the situation and the personal toll the lawsuit has taken on his client. On a March episode of “The Town” podcast, he stated,
“The reality is this is not a circus when you go through an experience like this,”
Bryan Freedman, attorney. He continued,
“I’ve represented a lot of people in the worst moments of their career, the worst moments of their life. Justin has been destroyed by this,”
Bryan Freedman, attorney.
Freedman also addressed the drive to clear Baldoni’s name, saying,
“In this day and age, the only way that you can truly get back is to prove your innocence and that’s what we’re actively working to [do]. That may only be able to be done in a courtroom,”
Bryan Freedman, attorney. Both legal teams, including attorneys from Wayfarer and the firms representing Lively, seem determined to present their cases fully if the court denies the summary judgment motion.
What This Means Going Forward
The standoff between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over claims of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment on the set of “It Ends With Us” continues to develop, drawing significant attention from the entertainment community and the public. With the court expected to rule on the summary judgment request and trial preparations underway, witnesses—including potential celebrity participants named by both parties—may play a critical part in shaping the outcome.
This Blake Lively lawsuit update underscores the deep divisions between the parties involved, and the case’s outcome may influence future industry norms regarding workplace behavior, legal strategies for harassment claims, and how high-profile disputes are managed both inside and outside the courtroom.
