If you’ve spent any time on the internet over the last year and a half, you know the vibe around Blake Lively shifted. Fast. One minute she’s the untouchable queen of the Met Gala and the "relatable" wife of Ryan Reynolds, and the next, she’s at the center of a PR nightmare that turned into a massive legal war.
Honestly, the whole thing is a mess. It started with some awkward interviews for It Ends With Us back in the summer of 2024, but it didn't stay there. By December, we were looking at bombshell lawsuits, allegations of sexual harassment, and claims of "calculated smear campaigns." It’s a lot to keep track of, especially with a trial date now looming in May 2026.
The "It Ends With Us" Press Tour Disaster
You remember the "wear your florals" thing? That was basically the spark that lit the fuse. While Justin Baldoni (the director and co-star) was out there talking about the heavy reality of domestic violence, Blake was getting roasted on TikTok for promoting the movie like it was a fun, lighthearted rom-com. People felt she was being tone-deaf.
She was launching her hair care line, Blake Brown Beauty, right at the same time. She was joking about fans bringing their besties to a movie about a woman being abused. It felt off. Fans noticed she and the rest of the cast weren't even standing in the same room as Baldoni during the premiere. The internet did what it does best: it picked sides. For a while, the narrative was that Blake had "Barbie-fied" a tragedy, and the backlash was brutal.
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The Lawsuits: It’s Not Just "Creative Differences" Anymore
Behind the scenes, things were way darker than just a disagreement over a movie edit. In December 2024, Blake filed a massive complaint against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
This wasn't just about him being "difficult." She alleged:
- Sexual Harassment: Blake claimed Baldoni subjected her to inappropriate behavior on set. One specific allegation involved him dragging his lips down her neck during a dance scene in a way that wasn't choreographed or professional.
- Hostile Work Environment: The filing claimed he entered her trailer uninvited while she was breastfeeding and made graphic comments about sex and porn in front of the crew.
- The "Smear Campaign": This is where it gets really wild. Blake alleges that after the movie wrapped, Baldoni and his PR team—specifically hiring experts known for "crisis management"—intentionally planted stories to make her look like a "diva" to cover up his own misconduct.
Baldoni didn't just sit back. He fired back with a $400 million lawsuit against Blake, Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist. He claimed they were the ones who bullied him. He alleged that Ryan Reynolds basically hijacked the movie, rewriting scenes without telling the director or the screenwriter. Baldoni even claimed Blake made fun of his physical appearance on set and "extorted" him for control of the final cut.
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What’s Happening Right Now (2026)
So, where are we today? Most of the countersuits filed by Baldoni were actually dismissed in late 2025, but the big one—Blake’s original suit against him—is still very much alive.
We are currently heading toward a May 2026 trial date.
Recently, things have gotten even more specific. Unsealed texts from the production have leaked, showing the absolute chaos behind the scenes. In one message, Baldoni allegedly told his PR team he wanted to see Blake "buried" in the media. On the flip side, Baldoni’s team has released video footage of that "neck kissing" scene, trying to prove it was just acting and that Blake was being "salacious" to save her reputation.
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It's a classic Hollywood "he said, she said," but with hundreds of millions of dollars and a whole lot of career-ending potential on the line.
Why This Matters for Blake's Future
The "Lively-Reynolds" brand took a hit. For years, they were the golden couple. But this drama pulled back the curtain on how much power they actually wield in Hollywood. The fact that Ryan Reynolds was reportedly "berating" Baldoni in a penthouse meeting (according to the legal filings) changed how people see their "nice guy" image.
Blake is still working, though. She’s got the A Simple Favor sequel coming up, and she’s still very much in the producer's chair for other projects. But the industry is watching this trial closely. If a jury decides she fabricated allegations to win a PR war, it’s going to be a long way back. If she wins, it might change how actors can protect themselves from "toxic" directors.
What you can do to stay informed:
- Check the court dockets: If you're really into the details, the Southern District of New York is where the action is happening.
- Watch for the May trial: Expect a lot of "insider" leaks to happen in April as both sides try to influence the jury pool.
- Look at the credits: Next time you watch a movie she's in, look at how many hats she’s wearing. She is clearly moving toward more behind-the-scenes control, which seems to be at the heart of why this whole explosion happened in the first place.
This isn't just a celebrity spat. It’s a legal battle over who gets to tell the story—and who gets blamed when the story goes wrong.