A federal judge in New York has set a trial date of March 9, 2026, amid the escalating legal and public feud between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. The judge, Lewis J. Liman, also advanced an initial conference to next week, responding to claims of pretrial publicity and attorney misconduct.
Lively’s legal team accused Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, of trying to taint the jury pool and damage Lively’s career by creating a website that released selective documents from the actors’ ongoing lawsuits. Freedman denied the allegations, accusing Lively of seeking to “gag the truth” while defending his client with “pure, unedited facts.”
Adding to the drama, Lively filed a new motion in Texas seeking the deposition of Jed Wallace, a crisis management specialist accused of orchestrating online campaigns that damaged her reputation during the film’s release. The filing alleges Wallace’s actions were part of a strategy coordinated with Baldoni’s production team.
The lawsuits, which include allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and extortion, are likely to be combined for trial. Released in August, It Ends With Us exceeded expectations at the box office but was overshadowed by rumors of behind-the-scenes conflict between the stars.
Source: Swifteradio.com
