A real-life Hollywood drama is unfolding behind closed doors in a New York City courthouse.
Actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni arrived at Manhattan federal court on Wednesday to discuss a potential settlement of their high-profile legal battle, which kicked off in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni after they worked together on a film.
Baldoni arrived with his wife, Emily Baldoni. Lively emerged from the back of her black car solo.
The warring actors and their lawyers then spent the morning behind closed doors on the 14th floor of a lower Manhattan courthouse — marking the first time the actors have faced off in court since their legal battle erupted into public view. The hearing is expected to continue into the afternoon.
The conflict, which generated months of wall-to-wall news coverage, began during the filming of “It Ends With Us,” a film directed by Baldoni and starring Lively that was released in August 2024. The “Gossip Girl” actress sued the director in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign she said was orchestrated by Bladoni.
Baldoni counter-sued in 2025, claiming extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. His lawsuit has since been dismissed.
Wednesday’s conference is part of a last-ditch effort by US Magistrate Judge Sarah Cave to put the case to bed ahead of the May 18 trial.
A settlement would close the book on a series of pending legal headaches for the judge, including whether to trim the scope of Lively’s lawsuit or sanction Baldoni based on Lively’s claim that his side hid documents.
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