Courtroom Showdown: Blake Lively Faces Off Against Justin Baldoni
Actress Blake Lively to appears as witness against Justin Baldoni in forthcoming court case.
Gear up for a blockbuster legal battle! Actress Blake Lively will take the witness stand in a personally-contested case against her "It Ends with Us" co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Lively's lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, confirmed her plans to testify in an interview with "People."
"Yep, she's gonna testify," Gottlieb spilled. "This case is about setting the record straight, and Blake's testimony will be crucial. Her word will carry a lot of weight."
But Lively won't be alone; she'll share the courtroom with others who've seen or suffered the alleged misconduct. "There are folks who can corroborate Blake's story—those who've witnessed it firsthand," Gottlieb emphasized.
Speculations about Lively's involvement in the trial heated up when she hinted during her Time100 gala speech in late April. Addressing her audience, Lively spoke candidly about "the last two years of her life." Could this have been a subtle nod to the looming court case?
Other Notable Witnesses on the Horizon
The potential testimony of Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, remains uncertain. Despite being listed as a defendant in Baldoni's countersuit, Reynolds may or may not take the stand, according to Gottlieb.
Meanwhile, Baldoni's team has plans to subpoena A-list stars like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman. Gottlieb finds this unnecessary: "Those celebs? They've got nothing to do with this case—it's about what happened to Blake Lively, not Hollywood's favorite songs or Marvel heroes."
The Legal Battleground
At the heart of the conflict is the filming of "It Ends with Us," released in 2024. In December that year, Lively filed a complaint with California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing, followed by a lawsuit claiming sexual harassment and smear campaigns. Defendants included Wayfarer Studios and several production individuals.
Baldoni denied the allegations, filing a massive $400 million countersuit, accusing Lively, her husband, Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and their firm Vision PR of defamation and civil extortion. These claims have been labeled as baseless by Lively's legal team.
The trial, anticipated to create a media frenzy, begins in March 2026. Unlike the high-profile Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case, this trial won't be televised, but select U.S. media outlets will have access to audio recordings.
[1] Source: ntv.de, lpe/spot[2] Entertainment Legal Dispute with Co-Star Blake Lively Speaks about "Low Point" of Her Life[3] Entertainment Lively vs. Baldoni Taylor Swift Could Be Subpoenaed for Trial
I'm not sure I'm ready to go, but it seems the court trial is unavoidable. Blake Lively, the defendant, has confirmed her plans to testify in the "It Ends with Us" legal battle against Justin Baldoni. The trial, starting in March 2026, is set to end a series of speculations that heated up after Lively hinted at her involvement during her Time100 gala speech. Interestingly, Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, curios celebrities, might be subpoenaed by Baldoni's team, according to Lively's lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, who finds this move unnecessary.
