Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to Meet in Court for First Time Since 2024 Complaint

The court-ordered settlement conference is a last-ditch effort to resolve the actors' legal battle before a scheduled May 18 trial.

Feb. 10, 2026 at 6:31pm

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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the stars of the 2024 film "It Ends With Us," will appear in person at a New York City courthouse on Wednesday for the first time since Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni in December 2024 alleging sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of the film. The court-ordered settlement conference is a last-ditch effort to get the actors to a resolution ahead of their scheduled May 18 trial, after discovery in the case has dragged everyone from Taylor Swift to Sony Pictures executives into the fray.

Why it matters

The case has reverberated through Hollywood, exposing private texts among A-listers and uncomfortably candid studio business conversations that normally remain behind closed doors, as well as subjecting Lively and Baldoni to the broader culture war around sexual harassment. The settlement conference is a critical leverage point, as the public spectacle of the case has already taken a toll on the actors' public images and reputations.

The details

Lively has alleged that the decline of her public image is at least in part due to a smear campaign that Baldoni's team orchestrated after she spoke up about sexual harassment, an allegation his lawyers have denied. Some of the damage has come from private communications and depositions that were unsealed as part of the lawsuit Lively, 38, filed against Baldoni, 42, who was also the director of 'It Ends With Us.' In a deposition, Sony Pictures' executives referred to Lively as a 'f---ing terrorist' and 'epic level stupid' after she threatened to quit the film if a 17-point list of changes she wanted was not executed.

  • On December 20, 2024, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.
  • On December 31, 2024, Lively filed a federal civil lawsuit against Baldoni.
  • In February 2025, Lively filed an amended complaint against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, Wayfarer's CEO, and others.
  • In June 2025, a federal judge dismissed Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against Lively.
  • The settlement conference will take place on Wednesday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Blake Lively

A 38-year-old actress who filed a complaint against Justin Baldoni alleging sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of their 2024 film "It Ends With Us."

Justin Baldoni

A 42-year-old actor and director who was the director of the 2024 film "It Ends With Us."

Misty Marris

An NBC News legal analyst.

Andrea Giannetti

The executive vice president of production at Sony Pictures.

Sanford Panitch

The president of Sony Motion Pictures Group.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will try to get Lively and Baldoni to begin settlement discussions during the court-ordered settlement conference on Wednesday. If they are unable to reach a resolution, their trial is scheduled to begin on May 18.

The takeaway

The high-profile legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has exposed the inner workings of Hollywood, including private communications and candid business discussions, and has taken a toll on both actors' public images. The settlement conference on Wednesday represents a critical juncture as they weigh the financial and emotional costs of continuing the case.