The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over the 2024 film It Ends With Us has escalated, with Lively accusing Baldoni of employing aggressive legal strategies to intimidate her and other accusers. The dispute, which began with allegations of on-set sexual harassment, has now expanded into a high-stakes courtroom drama involving defamation lawsuits, leaked recordings, and public smear campaigns .
Sexual Harassment Allegations
Lively first filed a complaint against Baldoni in December 2024, alleging he created a hostile work environment during filming. Her legal team claims Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her body, improvised unscripted intimate scenes, and retaliated when she objected. The complaint also cites two unnamed female cast members who reportedly documented similar experiences .
“Ms. Lively was not alone in raising allegations of on-set misconduct more than a year before the film was edited,” her attorneys stated, referencing internal Sony records . Baldoni denies the claims, calling them “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious” .
The “Scorched Earth” Strategy
On April 10, 2025, Lively’s lawyers accused Baldoni of using California’s anti-SLAPP laws—designed to protect free speech—to “tear down” survivors who report harassment. They argue his $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, is retaliatory .
“The chilling message this litigation sends to victims is: stay silent or be destroyed,” said attorney Esra Hudson. Baldoni’s team counters that Lively orchestrated a smear campaign to control the film’s narrative .
Key Evidence and Leaks
Both sides have released disputed evidence:
Baldoni’s team published outtakes of romantic scenes, claiming they show professional conduct .
Lively’s lawyers point to a leaked voicemail where Baldoni apologizes for dismissing her script revisions, calling it proof of tension .
A 2023 meeting memo reveals Lively demanded safeguards like an intimacy coordinator after alleging Baldoni discussed her weight and “pornography addiction” on set .
Public Backlash and Fallout
The controversy has divided Hollywood:
Support for Lively: Colleen Hoover and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars publicly backed her .
Support for Baldoni: His family and Jane the Virgin colleagues praised his character .
Neutral Stance: Co-star Brandon Sklenar urged fans to focus on the film’s anti-abuse message .
Sony Pictures condemned reputational attacks on Lively, while Baldoni’s agency, WME, dropped him as a client .
Upcoming Trial
A trial date is set for March 2026. Meanwhile, Lively is filming A Simple Favor 2, and Baldoni’s production company faces scrutiny over workplace practices .
