Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to Meet in Court Settlement Conference

Closed-door meeting aims to avoid high-profile harassment trial over It Ends With Us film

Feb. 11, 2026 at 3:55pm

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Actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are scheduled to meet face-to-face on Wednesday in a closed-door settlement conference in Manhattan federal court. Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment, retaliation, and orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation during the filming of their movie It Ends With Us. The $160 million lawsuit has exposed private communications between the stars and their colleagues, damaging public sentiment for both. The settlement conference is a last-ditch effort to avoid a high-profile trial set for May 18.

Why it matters

This case has become one of Hollywood's most public workplace battles, with private text messages and blunt studio communications being shared publicly. The outcome could have major implications for both Lively and Baldoni's careers, as a trial would be an extremely grueling process for high-profile individuals.

The details

Lively, 38, accuses Baldoni, 42, of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of It Ends With Us, as well as orchestrating a campaign to damage her reputation - claims his team denies. Discovery has already exposed private texts from other celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift. Co-star Jenny Slate called Baldoni "the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist" overseeing a "really gross and disturbing shoot". Sony executives also made disparaging comments about Lively, calling her a "f---ing terrorist" and predicting she "will never work again".

  • The closed-door settlement conference is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
  • The high-profile trial is set for May 18, 2026.

The players

Blake Lively

A 38-year-old actress who is suing her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment, retaliation, and reputation damage.

Justin Baldoni

A 42-year-old actor and director who is being sued by Blake Lively over allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and reputation damage during the filming of It Ends With Us.

Jenny Slate

A co-star in It Ends With Us who called Baldoni "the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist" overseeing a "really gross and disturbing shoot".

Ryan Reynolds

A celebrity whose private text messages were exposed during the discovery process of the lawsuit.

Taylor Swift

A celebrity whose private text messages were exposed during the discovery process of the lawsuit.

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What they’re saying

“the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist" overseeing a "really gross and disturbing shoot”

— Jenny Slate, Co-star in It Ends With Us

“f---ing terrorist”

— Sony executive

“will never work again”

— Sony executive

What’s next

If the settlement conference on Wednesday is unsuccessful, pre-trial motions would begin ahead of the scheduled May 18 trial date.

The takeaway

This high-profile case has exposed the inner workings of the film industry, with private communications and disparaging comments about the stars coming to light. The outcome could have major career implications for both Lively and Baldoni, as they decide whether to settle quietly or endure a grueling public trial process.