Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni failed to reach a settlement in their harassment lawsuit after court-ordered mediation. The case is now expected to go to trial.
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Actors Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively were unable to reach a settlement in Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit after a full day of mediation in a New York federal court. According to Variety, the court-supervised talks ended without any resolution, increasing the chances of the case going to trial.
The mediation took place on Wednesday under the supervision of Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave, a routine step in federal cases before trial. Despite several hours of discussion, both sides walked away without an agreement.
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The It Ends With Us co-stars arrived at the courthouse on Friday morning but remained in separate courtrooms throughout the day. They exited the building without addressing the media, avoiding questions from reporters gathered outside.
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Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, later confirmed that no settlement had been reached. While he did not completely rule out future discussions, he said the case is now expected to go forward.
“I do think the case will go to trial. We’re looking forward to it,” Freedman told Variety.
Blake Lively has accused Baldoni of harassing her during the filming of It Ends With Us. She has also alleged that after raising concerns, Baldoni worked with publicists to launch a smear campaign against her.
It was also mentioned, that these actions created a distressed work environment which caused personal and professional difficulties.
Baldoni has denied the allegations. His legal team has filed motions asking the court to dismiss or narrow the case, arguing that the claims do not meet the legal standard for harassment.
According to court filings cited by Variety, Baldoni’s lawyers have described the allegations as minor workplace disagreements rather than serious misconduct.
Lively’s legal team has pushed back strongly, stating that her complaints are not isolated. They claim that other actors on set raised similar concerns, and argue that the matter deserves to be heard by a jury.
Judge Lewis Liman, who is overseeing the case, is currently reviewing the motions that could either dismiss the lawsuit or allow it to proceed in full.
If the judge allows the case to move forward, the trial is scheduled for May 18. With mediation not happening and neither party backing down, the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni appears far from over.
Also Read: Taylor Swift’s private texts slam Justin Baldoni as legal feud with Blake Lively explodes
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