Blake Lively’s legal battle with It Ends With Us director and co-star Justin Baldoni has taken another dramatic turn. On Thursday, Lively appeared in New York City to deliver her long-delayed deposition, with Baldoni himself in the room.
The deposition, originally scheduled for mid-July, was postponed due to procedural changes after a third-party defendant was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds. Now, both parties are back on the offensive. A source confirmed Baldoni, 41, was physically present as Lively, 37, was questioned by his legal team, an intensely uncomfortable moment considering the nature of her allegations.
Lively has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign while working on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. She claims the environment on set was hostile and retaliatory. Her legal team alleges Baldoni paid a social media strategist, Jed Wallace, tens of thousands a month to wage an online disinformation campaign against her, an accusation Wallace denies.
Baldoni has fought back aggressively, filing a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane, alleging defamation and extortion. But the judge dismissed that case entirely last month, along with Baldoni’s separate lawsuit against The New York Times.
Even before her deposition, Baldoni’s lawyer stirred controversy by suggesting it be held at Madison Square Garden and live-streamed for charity, a move Lively’s team condemned as a publicity stunt. The judge ultimately ruled in her favour, allowing the deposition to take place privately at a location of her choosing.
The legal tension is far from over, with the trial set for March 2026. Both sides are digging in as discovery continues, and neither appears ready to back down.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ