"Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively experienced tumultuous year, described by Lively as 'life's lowest lows' amid contentious legal dispute"
A candid chat with Blake Lively
Stepping into the spotlight, Blake Lively opened up on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' about her rollercoaster experiences.
The 'Another Simple Favor' sensation graced the May 1 episode and shared the peaks and troughs that marked this challenging year. Meyers revealed he was somewhat unaware of the details, to which Lively humorously quipped, "I'm relieved you're not hosting 'Weekend Update' right now because you'd be totally informed!"
Prodded to divulge more, Lively characterized her voice as a crusade for a safer world for women and girls. She expressed her frustrations about seeing numerous women trembling in fear, unable to voice their experiences. Fear, she stated, is a manipulative tool, designed to silence us.
"We women who have been granted the opportunity to speak out, have been my beacons of strength during this fight," Lively said.
The audience erupted into applause as she continued, "It's a simple fight we're waging."
Although Lively briefly touched upon her legal battle with Justin Baldoni and the drama surrounding their film "It Ends With Us," she chose not to delve deeper.
Preceding Jan. 2026, a New York court will address both Lively and Baldoni's lawsuits against each other[7].
Brewing tensions between the cast underscored public speculation before 'It Ends With Us' premiered in Aug 2024. The film's rollout, however, was overshadowed by whispers of onset discord[5].
In December 2024, Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, alleging unwanted advances and boundary violations during intimate scenes[6].
Baldoni subsequently sued the New York Times for libel, claiming $250 million in damages, owing to their coverage of Lively's complaint and accusations of a smear campaign[4].
The same day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, producer Jamey Heath, Baldoni's publicist Jennifer Abel, crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, and others associated with 'It Ends With Us.' In her legal battle, Lively's team argued she was a victim of sexual harassment and a smear campaign[3].
In response, Baldoni filed a defamation and various contractual claims against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane's PR firm[4].
Lively's legal team released a statement refuting these allegations, denouncing them as "another chapter in the abuser playbook." Baldoni and his associates responded by creating a website detailing their complaint, allegedly featuring emails and texts from the film crew[4].
Initially, the judge overseeing the trial didn't impose restrictions on public statements, but issued a warning due to potential impacts. However, Lively later amended her original complaint, alleging complainants from other women and an additional defamation claim[2].
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[1] NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Contributions by Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds The Fight for Civil Rights #BlackLivesMatter #Vote
[2] Blake Lively's Legal Battle with Justin Baldoni: Amended Courtoom Filings Reveal More Accusations and Claims https://www.today.com/entertainment/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-legal-battle-amended-courtoom-filings-reveal-more-accusations-claims-t185479
[3] Blake Lively Sues Justin Baldoni, His Production Company, and Others Connected to "It Ends With Us" utm_medium=referral
[4] Ist Ends With Us Dispute Spills into Court utm_medium=referral
[5] Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Their Ex-Costars Feud Backstage on the Set utm_medium=referral
[6] Justin Baldoni being hit with $250-million defamation lawsuit by actress Blake Lively over New York Times article alleging Baldoni used a smear campaign to shut down allegations of sexual misconduct (Oct. 2025) utm_medium=referral
[7] It Ends With Us: A Battle Over a Film, an Ex-couple, and a Sexual Harassment Case (Nov. 2025) utm_medium=referral
In a light-hearted moment, Blake Lively joked about Seth Meyers hosting 'Weekend Update', saying, "I'm relieved you're not hosting 'Weekend Update' right now because you'd be totally informed!" Later in the conversation, Lively discussed her legal battles, particularly those involving celebrity Justin Baldoni and their joint film "It Ends With Us", revealing a connection between pop-culture and entertainment while making headlines in the realm of celebrities and legal wrangles.
