Blake Lively is headed to a courtroom showdown with her “It Ends With Us” director, Justin Baldoni. The dispute, which stems from their work on the 2024 film, is scheduled for trial on May 18. It has grabbed headlines for claims and counterclaims by both.
Lively accused Baldoni of harassment on set and sued him in December 2024, alleging retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and more, according to Fox News. Baldoni has denied the claims. Much of the backlash directed at Lively arose during the film’s marketing campaign, when she was criticized for promoting “It Ends With Us” — a story about domestic abuse — with a lighthearted, upbeat tone that many observers found at odds with the film’s subject matter.
That was compounded by interviews and comments Lively made that were widely characterized as tone-deaf. Lively has also alleged that Baldoni made inquiries about her weight by contacting her personal trainer.
In April 2026, a federal judge dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 claims against Baldoni, including her harassment allegations. The dismissal was based on narrow legal grounds — she was considered an independent contractor rather than an employee, and federal discrimination laws typically apply only to the latter. With weeks remaining before the May 18 trial, the actress’s remaining claims of retaliation, breach of contract, and aiding and abetting retaliation are set to be heard by a jury.
Lively has hired Dr. Ashlee Humphreys, a Northwestern University professor of marketing communications, to quantify the damage to her reputation. Humphreys calculated that the use of “retaliatory phrases” such as “tone deaf,” “bully,” and “mean girl” generated more than 176 million online impressions, amounting to an estimated $36.5 million to $40.5 million in reputational harm.
Lively estimated her losses from missed professional opportunities between August 2024 and August 2029 — including major studio films, independent projects, limited TV series, endorsements, speaking engagements, and personal appearances — at roughly $34.3 million to $87.8 million. She also cited losses to her businesses — a haircare brand and a beverage brand — ranging between $39.6 million and $143.5 million. Additionally, she claimed personal losses stemming from emotional distress caused by the case, estimated at $250,000 to $400,000.
Weeks before the trial, Lively’s attorneys filed a motion asking the judge to bar all evidence related to her and husband Ryan Reynolds‘ combined net worth and financial status. They argued it was irrelevant to the legal questions at hand.
Baldoni’s legal team countered that the couple’s finances are central to the case because Lively has claimed she lost millions due to his alleged smear campaign. Baldoni also pushed to introduce Reynolds’ “Nicepool” character from “Deadpool & Wolverine” as evidence, alleging the character was created to mock him — a claim she sought to block. Baldoni’s camp separately filed a motion to exclude evidence about the alleged negative experiences of other women during the film’s production.