Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Set for Trial Over ‘It Ends With Us’ Legal Dispute in 2026
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are scheduled to go to trial on March 9, 2026, to resolve their ongoing legal battle regarding “It Ends With Us.”
Justin Baldoni Apologizes to Blake Lively in Leaked Voice Note, Admits to Being a “Flawed Man” and “Falling Short” Amid Legal Dispute
Justin Baldoni issued an apology to Blake Lively following a discussion about changes she made to a scene in It Ends With Us, according to a recently leaked voice note he is said to have sent to her. (PEOPLE has not been able to confirm the date the message was recorded.)
Amid their ongoing legal battle, in which Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the making of the 2024 film he directed—an allegation Baldoni denies—a series of text messages between the two actors surfaced as part of Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively.
Baldoni expressed to Lively that he “really love(d) what (she) did” and that her changes “[made] it so much more fun and interesting.”
In a nearly 7-minute voice note obtained by Daily Mail on January 27, Baldoni is heard apologizing for his response to her script suggestions. The audio begins with him acknowledging his mistake.
“I’m really sorry. I for sure fell short, and you worked really hard on that,” he says. “And the way you framed it, and how that made you feel, I just want to say thank you for sharing that with me.”
Baldoni continues, expressing gratitude for Lively’s openness: “That takes a lot of trust and vulnerability. I feel really grateful that you feel safe enough to tell me that’s how you feel and share that with me. I’m really sorry, I f—– up.”
The Jane the Virgin star goes on to admit his flaws, saying, “I’m a very flawed man, as my wife will attest.” He emphasizes his willingness to take responsibility, adding, “I’m always going to admit and apologize when I fail.”
After apologizing again and vowing to “do better,” Baldoni praised Lively’s inner circle, saying, “Damn right you’ve got great friends if that’s how you felt and they knew that. We should all have friends like that; aside from the fact that they’re the two most creative people on the planet. The three of you together is unbelievable. Talk about energy; just a force, all three of you.”
He ended by complimenting Lively’s changes to the scene, calling it “really good” and stating it would “make the movie sing.”
In the texts, the co-stars discussed Lively’s alleged adjustments to a key rooftop scene in the romantic drama. Lively reportedly expressed disappointment with Baldoni’s initial reaction to her changes, mentioning that both her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and close friend (later revealed to be Taylor Swift) supported the revisions.
The trial date was set by Judge Lewis J. Liman in a court order filed on Monday, according to documents obtained by The Post. The two stars, aged 37 and 41, are suing each other in a federal court in New York. Lively filed a $250 million lawsuit against Baldoni last month, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign. Baldoni countered with a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation and extortion.
Additionally, a pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for February 3, 2025. During this hearing, both sides will address Lively’s request to place a gag order on Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman. This comes after Lively and Reynolds’ legal team urged for an expedited hearing following Freedman’s media comments, leading the judge to reschedule the hearing from February 12 to February 3.
Lively and Reynolds have called for Freedman to be prohibited from speaking to the press after he released raw footage from “It Ends With Us” to challenge Lively’s claims of sexual harassment. In response, Freedman declared that Baldoni’s team would not be “bullied” by Lively and Reynolds, and also announced plans to launch a website to further support Baldoni’s defense.
Lively’s lawsuit targets not only Baldoni but also his production company Wayfarer Studios, producer James Heath, publicist Jennifer Abel, crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, and others. She claims Baldoni harassed her on set and later led a PR campaign to damage her reputation.
While the trial may be avoided or postponed if both parties reach a settlement before March 2026, both Lively and Baldoni appear determined to settle their differences in court. Baldoni, who denies Lively’s allegations, countersued her, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm Vision PR Inc., accusing them of civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Lively’s legal team has dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit as “meritless” and “desperate.”
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