Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were reportedly unable to resolve their ongoing legal dispute during a court-ordered settlement conference in New York this week, meaning the case is likely headed to trial in May. The actors appeared separately before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave for more than six hours on Wednesday in an effort to find common ground, but no agreement was reached.
Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company in late 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation related to their work together on the 2024 film It Ends With Us. She has claimed that she endured inappropriate behaviour on set and later suffered professional and personal harm as a result of how the situation was handled. Baldoni has denied those allegations.
Baldoni’s legal team confirmed that Wednesday’s session did not lead to a settlement and expects the dispute to move forward to trial, currently scheduled for May 18 in federal court in Manhattan. The conversation between lawyers and the parties is a standard step in U.S. civil litigation intended to try to resolve issues before a full trial, but it did not yield a resolution.
Lively is seeking substantial damages, arguing her reputation and career were damaged, and unsealed filings in the case have involved text messages and evidence from other well-known figures. Baldoni had previously filed a countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and others, but that action was dismissed in 2025. With settlement talks unsuccessful, both sides will prepare for the courtroom phase of the dispute next spring.
