'It Ends With Us' dispute latest updates: Blake Lively subpoenas Justin Baldoni’s phone records in an effort to 'expose' alleged smear campaign
The behind-the-scenes drama between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has escalated into one of Hollywood’s most contentious legal battles.
The behind-the-scenes drama between It Ends With Us co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has escalated into one of Hollywood’s most contentious legal battles.
This week, Lively’s attorneys filed subpoenas for Baldoni’s phone and internet records in what they call an effort to “expose the people, tactics, and methods” used in the alleged smear campaign against her.
Earlier this month, attorneys for Baldoni and Lively met in court for the first hearing in the case. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman warned both sides to stop litigating their case in the media, cautioning that he may move up the trial, which is currently set for March 2026.
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On Feb. 1, Baldoni launched a new website containing an amended complaint as well as a timeline of alleged text messages between him and Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The website was launched days after Lively and Reynolds filed notice with the judge that they would seek to dismiss Baldoni‘s defamation countersuit.
Lively is also facing another legal battle with crisis management consultant Jed Wallace, who she alleges played a key role in a smear campaign against her orchestrated by Baldoni and his PR team. Wallace filed a $7 million defamation lawsuit against Lively in a Texas court.
The feud began during the film’s August 2024 press tour, amid rumors of tension between Lively and Baldoni, who also directed the $351 million box office hit based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.
By December, Lively filed a sexual harassment complaint, accusing Baldoni and others of a smear campaign after she raised concerns over Baldoni's alleged behavior.
Baldoni denied the claims and countersued the New York Times for libel after it reported on Lively’s allegations. He later filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and their publicists in January, alleging defamation and extortion. That same month, Lively initiated a federal lawsuit against Baldoni, reiterating her claims of harassment and retaliation.
As both parties continue to present their cases, the entertainment industry is watching closely and anticipating further developments in the high-profile saga.
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