Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are at the center of a legal dispute that has unfolded after the filming of their 2024 summer blockbuster It Ends With Us. What began as rumors of tension on set quickly escalated into a highly publicized legal back-and-forth, with Lively filing a complaint in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliatory tactics aimed at damaging her reputation. Baldoni, in turn, filed multiple lawsuits, including a $250 million defamation suit against The New York Times and a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and others. Below is a complete timeline of their legal drama:
January 26, 2023: Baldoni and Blake Lively become the lead actors in “It Ends With Us”
Baldoni and Lively were announced as the co-leads for the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel It Ends With Us. Hoover expressed her excitement about Lively playing the lead role of Lily, and Baldoni was selected to portray Ryle. Both actors shared their enthusiasm about the project on social media.
From May 2023 to Early 2024: Filming for “It Ends With Us”
Filming began on May 5, 2023, in Hoboken, New Jersey, where Lively was seen in costume. Production was halted a month later due to the ongoing writer’s strike, but resumed in early 2024. The movie’s release was delayed from February to August 2024.
August 6, 2024: Justin Baldoni walks the “It Ends With Us” premiere alone
Tensions between Baldoni and his castmates became evident when he walked the red carpet alone at the New York premiere. While Lively posed with her co-stars, Baldoni opted to attend with his wife and family. He also did not introduce the film ahead of the screening, leaving that task to Lively and Hoover.
August 9, 2024: “It Ends With Us” premieres is a box office success
Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, It Ends With Us performed well at the box office, grossing $50 million on its opening weekend and later becoming Lively’s highest-grossing project, with over $242 million earned worldwide.
August 13, 2024: Justin Baldoni hires a crisis PR representative
After the premiere, Baldoni enlisted crisis PR manager Melissa Nathan to handle the fallout from the rumored rift between him and Lively.
December 20, 2024: Blake Lively files a complaint against Baldoni
Lively filed a complaint accusing Baldoni of “disturbing” and “unprofessional” behavior during filming, leading to a “hostile work environment.” She also claimed that Baldoni, his production partner Jamey Heath, and other members of the team engaged in a smear campaign to ruin her reputation. She alleged inappropriate conduct, including Baldoni entering her trailer uninvited while she was breastfeeding and making suggestive comments.
December 21, 2024: The actor, Justin Baldoni, is dropped by his talent agency
Following the publication of Lively’s complaint, Baldoni was dropped by his talent agency, William Morris Endeavor. The New York Times published an investigation into Lively’s allegations, further fueling the controversy.
December 31, 2024: Justin Baldoni files a lawsuit against The New York Times
Baldoni filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging that the outlet misrepresented communications related to the case. Baldoni also denied Lively’s allegations about inappropriate behavior on set and refuted claims that his PR team planted negative stories about her.
Blake Lively files a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni
The same day, in addition to her complaint, Lively officially filed a lawsuit in New York City against Baldoni and others, solidifying her position in the legal battle.
January 16, 2025: Justin Baldoni sues Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds alleging defamation.
Baldoni filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others involved, accusing Lively of overstepping her creative role on the film. He also claimed she made disparaging comments about his appearance and took control of the production in ways that were damaging to the film. His legal team included accusations against publicists who had allegedly been threatened by Lively’s actions.
January 21, 2025: Baldoni’s team releases footage from set that contradicts Blake Lively’s claims
Baldoni’s team released behind-the-scenes footage from the set of It Ends With Us, showing Lively and Baldoni filming a scene where the two are seen joking and talking out of character during a slow dance. This was in response to Lively’s claim that Baldoni behaved inappropriately during the scene.
January 27, 2025: An audio of Justin Baldoni apologizing is leaked and the trial date is set for March 2026
A trial date for the lawsuit has been set for March 9, 2026. Meanwhile, an audio recording was leaked in which Baldoni allegedly apologizes to Lively for not handling things better on set, though it remains unclear when the recording was made.
February 1, 2025: Baldoni launches a website where he’s going to share evidence
Baldoni launched a website titled “Lawsuit Info,” where he made public the details of his legal battle against Lively, including his amended complaint, a timeline of events, and screenshots of their communications.
February 3, 2025: during a pre-trial meeting, a judge cautioned the legal teams of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to curb the public relations battle.
During a pre-trial hearing, Judge Lewis J. Liman instructed both legal teams to avoid further public commentary, warning them that such actions could speed up the trial. The judge emphasized the importance of following ethical guidelines in the lead-up to the case.
February 4, 2025: Baldoni disclosed notes from an intimacy coordinator meeting that Blake Lively reportedly did not attend.
Baldoni’s legal team released notes from an intimacy coordinator meeting in which he claims Lively did not participate, even though he had suggested she meet with the coordinator before shooting the film’s intimate scenes. A source close to Lively later claimed that she remained calm throughout the proceedings and focused on her family amid the drama.
February 5, 2025: Crisis publicist, Jed Wallace, files a $7M defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively
Blake Lively is facing a defamation lawsuit from publicist Jed Wallace, who was named in her complaint regarding her legal battle with costar Justin Baldoni. Wallace, who claims Lively’s statements have harmed his reputation, is seeking at least $7 million in damages.
As the legal proceedings continue to unfold, both Lively and Baldoni remain locked in a public battle that is set to reach the courtroom in March 2026. Amid this, we hope that all those affected by the intense pressure of this situation—and the larger drama surrounding the project—are able to find resolution and healing. Such tragedies, whether personal or professional, can leave deep scars, and we wish all parties peace as they navigate through this difficult chapter.
