Ryan Reynolds absent as Blake Lively attends Justin Baldoni settlement conference

Court-ordered six-hour meeting ends without deal as Lively and Baldoni prepare for May 2026 trial date

Blake Lively appeared alone at a court-ordered settlement conference Wednesday in her ongoing legal dispute with actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni. According to reporting by Namrata Ghosh, Ryan Reynolds did not accompany his wife to the proceeding at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Lively and Baldoni, who co-starred in It Ends With Us, were photographed arriving separately at the federal courthouse in New York City on February 11. Baldoni attended with his wife, while Lively arrived solo after stepping out of a black SUV.

For the court appearance, Lively wore a pale green suit paired with a pink collared shirt and carried a green handbag. Baldoni was dressed in an olive-green overcoat with gray trousers and a cream-colored scarf.

The settlement conference, overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave, is a standard procedure in federal civil cases designed to determine whether the parties can resolve the matter before trial.

Following the approximately six-hour meeting, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, said the two sides were unable to reach an agreement. When asked whether he expects the case to move forward to trial, Freedman responded, “I do. We’re looking forward to it,” according to Ghosh’s report.

The legal dispute began after Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct during the filming of It Ends With Us. Baldoni has denied the allegations and previously filed a countersuit, which was later dismissed by the court.

The case is currently scheduled to go to trial on May 18, 2026.