Blake Lively To Testify in Court Over Alleged Harassment
Testifier's Oath Upheld: Witness Swears Under Counsel's Guidance in Court Proceedings - Set to appear in the court with an oath, she will provide her testimony during the trial.
Get ready for some juicy courtroom drama! Actress Blake Lively (37) has confirmed she'll be taking the stand to testify under oath about her experience on the set of "It Ends with Us" with co-star and director Justin Baldoni (41). That's what her lawyer Mike Gottlieb confirmed to U.S. magazine "People".
"You betcha," Mike said, when asked if Lively will testify. "The crux of the plaintiff's story happens in the courtroom. We're expecting similar proceedings in this case. Of course, we're anticipating her to be a witness in her own trial. Without a doubt, she will testify."
A Cast of Characters in the Courtroom
Lively's not the only one who'll be testifying. "There are people who've witnessed misconduct or experienced it themselves, which is relevant to Mrs. Lively's allegations," Gottlieb emphasized. "We're expecting their testimonies, particularly about on-set events, to corroborate her claims."
Whispers of Lively's role in the trial started brewing in late April following her speech at the Time100 Gala. Before taking the stage to reveal her mom had survived an attempt on her life by a colleague before Lively was born, she hinted at the case and said, "There's so much I want to say about the past two years of my life."
As for whether Ryan Reynolds (48), Lively's husband, will take the stand, that's still up in the air. He's currently named as a defendant in Baldoni's countersuit, but Lively's team is trying to have those claims dropped. "Our stance is that they're unjustified," Gottlieb stated, adding that Reynolds "may or may not be a prosecutor."
Witness Subpoenas Galore?
In recent months, Baldoni's team's threatened to subpoena big names like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman. Gottlieb thinks it's unnecessary: "It's completely unclear why these celebrities matter to the case. This is a case about what Blake Lively went through when she made sexual harassment allegations on set. It's not about how songs were picked for the film. It's not about Marvel characters in Deadpool movies."
Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman fired back, calling Lively's team attempts to distract from the facts of the case. "Despite the Lively side's obvious discomfort, the truth will not be diverted," Freedman said, adding that the truth has been revealed through unrestricted evidence, documents, and voice recordings.
Behind the Scenes
The legal battle stems from the filming of "It Ends with Us" in 2024, which hit theaters in August. In December, Lively filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, followed by a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign against her. The lawsuit named Wayfarer Studios and several production individuals as defendants.
Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million countersuit, accusing Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively's publicist Leslie Sloane, and their firm Vision PR of defamation and civil extortion - charges that Lively's lawyers describe as "unjustified."
The trial's set to begin in March 2026.
- Blake Lively
- Justin Baldoni
- Ryan Reynolds
- Mrs.
- Blake Lively, the actress, will testify under oath regarding her experience on the set of "It Ends with Us" with co-star and director Justin Baldoni.
- In March 2026, Blake Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, may or may not take the stand as a witness in the trial.
- The trial, which involves Blake Lively's allegations of harassment on the set of "It Ends with Us", is set to begin in March 2026.
- The trial's proceedings are expected to involve testimonies from participants who witnessed misconduct or experienced it themselves, potentially including celebrities like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman.
