Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni: A timeline of legal events

Blake Lively’s high-profile legal battle against actor-director Justin Baldoni, her co-star in the 2024 “It Ends With Us,” has unfolded over more than a year, involving claims of sexual harassment, retaliation, and defamation. 

Earlier this week, a U.S. court dismissed Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against actor-director Justin Baldoni. But Lively will proceed to trial on three remaining claims, including retaliation, with the case scheduled to begin on May 18, 2026.

"It ends with Us" is an adaptation of the Colleen Hoover book of the same name, published in 2016. They started working on the movie in 2023.

It showed in the Philippines in August 2024. A few months later, Lively filed the first case against Baldoni.

Below is the timeline of events.

December 22, 2024: Lively files sexual harassment case against Baldoni

In the lawsuit, which has been obtained by PEOPLE, the actress alleged that her co-star's behavior caused her "severe emotional distress."

The lawsuit claims that Blake—who played Justin's on-screen love interest—attended a meeting to address her allegations and her demands for working on the movie.

Baldoni denied the accusations.

December 23, 2024: Hollywood is shaken

Shortly after the filing, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn, Blake's co-stars in "The Sisters for Traveling Pants" took to social media to air their support for the actress. 

This prompted the book author Hoover to also voice out her support for Blake. saying "you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt." 

January 17, 2025: Baldoni file a $400 million defamation suit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and the New York Times

The countersuit from Baldoni came weeks after Lively's sexual harassment complaint against him. 

According to Baldoni's filed court documents, Lively hijacked the production of "It Ends With Us" and that she defamed him and, with Reynolds, sought to extort him.

June 2025: Judge dismisses Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively

U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan said Lively's claims to a California state agency about Baldoni's alleged harassment during the filming were privileged, and shielded from the defamation claim by Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios.

In a 132-page decision, Liman also dismissed Baldoni's related $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times NYT.N.

November 2025: Baldoni asked for dismissal of sexual harassment case by Lively

Baldoni asked a U.S. judge for Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit dismissal.

In a court filing, lawyers for Baldoni said he resolved Lively's concerns about sporadic misunderstandings and "awkward comments" on the set of the film, including over her physical appearance, as soon as she raised them.

They also said Baldoni had a right to hire a crisis management firm to defend his reputation after Lively began disparaging him publicly.

April 3, 2026: Sexual harassment case dismissed 

U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment claims in her lawsuit against actor and director Justin Baldoni whom she starred with in the 2024 romantic drama "It Ends With Us."

In a 152-page decision, Liman wrote that Baldoni's alleged conduct appeared to be directed towards Lively's character in the scene, rather than Lively herself.

April 7, 2026: Lively reacts to court’s decision

Lively in statement posted on her Instagram account expressed gratitude after the court allowed her sexual harassment case to move forward, with the matter set to be presented before a jury in May. 

May 18, 2026: Trial to begin

While the sexual harassment case was dismissed, Liman said Lively can still try to convince jurors that Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios retaliated against her after she complained about misconduct on the movie set.

The judge said jurors could consider whether the defendants “impermissibly and materially altered” Lively’s career prospects, through what she called a smear campaign after Baldoni hired public relations and crisis management specialists. — LA, GMA News