Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Fail to Reach Settlement in Federal Court

The courtroom chapter of the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni saga just took another turn — and it’s not toward closure.

According to The Associated Press, on Wednesday, February 11, both parties appeared at Manhattan federal court for a required settlement conference tied to Lively’s lawsuit over alleged sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us.

The session lasted roughly six hours, with attorneys meeting privately to determine whether the case could be resolved before its scheduled May trial date.

It couldn’t.

After the lengthy talks concluded, Lively and Baldoni exited the courthouse separately. Neither spoke to reporters.

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, later confirmed in a written statement that the discussions “did not result in a settlement.”

Settlement conferences are a standard procedure in civil cases and typically happen behind closed doors.

With no agreement reached, the case remains on track for trial to begin on May 18.

Lively filed suit in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of inappropriate conduct on set and alleging that he worked with a crisis communications consultant to damage her reputation after she raised concerns. She is seeking more than $160 million in damages.

Baldoni has denied the allegations. He previously countersued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, claiming defamation and extortion. That countersuit was dismissed last June by Judge Lewis J. Liman.

Over the past year, the dispute has expanded far beyond its original claims. Unsealed court filings have revealed private messages exchanged among key players.

Texts show Lively venting to author Colleen Hoover about Baldoni, as well as candid conversations between Lively and Taylor Swift, offering encouragement as tensions escalated.

Reynolds’ own messages, also made public through court filings, showed him forcefully defending his wife in communications with industry executives.

In one statement released through a representative, Reynolds said he believes he “wasn’t angry enough” while supporting Lively’s fight for what he described as “a safe workplace free of harassment and retaliation.”

The litigation has drawn widespread attention across entertainment circles. Court documents have cited several public figures who may possess relevant knowledge, including Swift, Gigi Hadid, Emily Blunt, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Hugh Jackman, Candace Owens, and Perez Hilton.