Efforts to reach a resolution in the lawsuit involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in a Manhattan court today seem to have been unsuccessful.
As reported, Baldoni’s attorney, Brian Friedman, representing the “It Ends With Us” director in a case concerning allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against Lively, stated on Wednesday that attempts to negotiate a pretrial agreement “failed.”
Friedman did mention that while there is “always a chance” for a settlement to happen between the two parties, he is uncertain if discussions will continue.
According to reports, both Lively and Baldoni departed the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in New York City around 4 p.m. ET.
Outside the courthouse, Friedman labeled the pretrial negotiation attempts as a “failure,” reflecting on the lack of progress made.
He also noted that, despite uncertainty surrounding the trial’s start date on May 18, he is “looking forward” to it.
Lively’s representative has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the situation.
Interestingly, both actors arrived separately but were dressed in strikingly similar outfits; Lively wore an olive green ensemble, while Baldoni sported a trench coat in the same color. Baldoni was accompanied by his wife, Emily, while Lively attended the meeting without her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
The confidential hearing in Manhattan was overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave, marking the first court appearance for the actors since the conflict began in December 2024.
The tension between Lively and Baldoni first surfaced during an August 2024 press event when they appeared separately. Lively later filed a significant lawsuit alleging sexual harassment by Baldoni in December 2024, prompting Baldoni to file a countersuit against her the following month.
Baldoni claims that Lively has caused him damages and lost revenue totaling at least $161 million due to an alleged smear campaign linked to the film’s release.
He has denied the accusations and, in January 2025, filed a countersuit seeking $400 million against both Lively and Reynolds, although Judge Louis J. Lehman dismissed this suit last summer. Baldoni’s attempt to dismiss Lively’s lawsuit in November 2025 remains unresolved.
As the situation develops, recently unveiled documents indicate that other celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson, Taylor Swift, and Johnny Depp, have peripheral links to the case.
