Legal Drama: Lively vs. Baldoni

A U.S. judge has cautioned lawyers representing Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in their civil lawsuits. Lively alleges Baldoni sexually harassed her during a film shoot, while Baldoni counters with defamation claims. The court has imposed restrictions on public statements to protect the upcoming trial's fairness.

A U.S. judge has warned the legal teams of actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni not to publicly discuss their ongoing civil lawsuits, which emerge from Lively's accusations of sexual harassment by Baldoni during the filming of 'It Ends With Us'.

At a Manhattan federal court hearing, Lively's lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, criticized Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, for allegedly breaking professional ethics by naming Lively a 'bully'. Judge Lewis Liman addressed concerns over potential jury bias, citing statements made to media outlets and the broader implications for the pending March 2026 trial.

The court has invoked a state rule limiting potentially prejudicial out-of-court statements, with exemptions allowing defense against adverse publicity. Notably absent from the hearing were Lively and Baldoni, both of whom are involved in additional legal actions against each other, including a massive defamation suit filed by Baldoni.