Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni head to trial as settlement talks fail. Details on the actress's retaliation and defamation lawsuit against her former co-star.
- April 7, 2026
AceShowbiz - Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni remain on course for a court trial concerning the actress's retaliation and defamation allegations. Despite efforts by a federal judge to encourage a settlement, the legal dispute between the former co-stars continues unabated.
On Monday afternoon, both parties' attorneys were instructed to participate in a conference call with Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave. The purpose of this discussion was to clarify their client's updated settlement position, aiming to assess whether any new grounds for resolving the case existed before the trial date.
Although there had been hopes for a last-minute agreement to avoid court proceedings, no definitive resolution has been reached. The upcoming trial remains scheduled for next month, where the claims of retaliation and defamation made by Lively against Baldoni will be examined thoroughly.
This ongoing litigation has attracted significant attention, with both parties represented by prominent legal teams. Support for Blake Lively has notably been strong, including backing from her agency, WME, after portions of the lawsuit were dismissed by a judge ahead of the trial.
As the litigation progresses, the entertainment industry watches closely to see if a settlement might still emerge or if the trial will proceed as planned, potentially setting important precedents for similar cases in the future.