Blake Lively’s Harassment Trial Against Justin Baldoni Postponed Until May 2026
Blake Lively‘s sexual harassment trial against Justin Baldoni has been postponed for two months. On Tuesday, Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that the trial, which was originally set to begin on March 9, 2026, will now start on May 18.
The delay was due to the judge’s busy schedule, as he explained in the post-discovery hearing that he had two criminal trials lined up. “As important as this case is … criminal trials take precedent,” the judge stated, according to People.
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The lawsuit, filed by Lively last December, accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment while they worked together on the set of It Ends With Us. The actress, known for her role on Gossip Girl, claims Baldoni, 41, made inappropriate advances toward her. Baldoni, best known for Jane the Virgin, has denied the allegations.
In response, Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit in January against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, accusing them of defamation, extortion, and more. However, in June, a judge dismissed Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit, as well as his $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times.
Judge Liman ruled that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, “have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her [California Civil Rights Department] complaint, which are privileged.”
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The judge further explained that Baldoni’s lawsuit “alleged that Reynolds and [publicist Leslie] Sloane made additional statements accusing Baldoni of sexual misconduct and that the Times made additional statements accusing the Wayfarer Parties of engaging in a smear campaign.”
However, Liman emphasized that the Wayfarer Parties had not shown evidence that Reynolds, Sloane, or the Times would have seriously doubted the truth of these statements, which is necessary for defamation claims to hold up under the law.
Baldoni and his legal team were given an opportunity to amend their complaint but chose not to file an amended version by last month. The next hearing in the case is set for January 22, where oral arguments on summary judgment will take place.
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