Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni headed for explosive trial after settlement talks collapse

Actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were unable to settle their ongoing legal dispute during a court mandated conference in New York, paving the way for a trial in May 2026.

The settlement meeting took place on Wednesday at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan. It marked the first time the two actors were present in court together since the lawsuit was initiated. Despite attempts to resolve the matter privately, discussions did not result in an agreement.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Lively against Baldoni. She has accused him of sexual harassment, retaliatory behaviour and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The damages being sought in the matter are reported to total USD 550 million.

Speaking to reporters outside court, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman confirmed that the negotiations had failed. He described the talks as “unsuccessful” but added that there is “always a chance” of a settlement. He further said he was “looking forward” to the trial scheduled for May. The conference was overseen by Magistrate Judge Sarah L Cave. Lively attended on her own, while Baldoni was accompanied by his wife, Emily Baldoni.

Public interest in the case has grown after US District Judge Lewis J Liman ordered several documents to be unsealed earlier this year. The records include emails, text messages and voice notes linked to the dispute. One email from a Sony executive referred to Lively as a “terrorist.”

Among the released material is a four minute voice memo sent by Lively to Baldoni, along with text exchanges involving Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Taylor Swift. Messages between Lively and Swift, in which Lively sought support regarding Baldoni and the film in question, have circulated widely online.

Earlier in June, Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s USD 400 million defamation suit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds. The court has yet to decide whether any of Lively’s claims will be thrown out before trial.

The matter is currently slated for trial on May 18, 2026.