Blake Lively is currently in a place most movie stars try their absolute best to avoid. Usually, when a movie makes over $350 million, everyone is popping champagne and signing contracts for sequels. But for Blake, the success of It Ends With Us turned into a legal and reputational nightmare that is still unfolding right now in January 2026.
If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok or checking the trades, you know it’s messy. It’s not just "creative differences" or a "he-said, she-said" about who edited the movie. We’re talking about massive $400 million lawsuits, allegations of sexual harassment, and unsealed text messages that make the Gossip Girl sets look like a Sunday school picnic.
The Current State of the Justin Baldoni Legal War
Right now, the biggest thing on Blake's plate is the looming trial. Mark your calendars for May 18, 2026. That’s when Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, are scheduled to head to court.
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Initially, there was a flurry of lawsuits flying back and forth like a tennis match. Justin Baldoni actually tried to sue Blake and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for a staggering $400 million. He claimed they basically tried to destroy his career and reputation. However, a judge tossed that specific lawsuit out in 2025.
But Blake’s case against him? That’s still very much alive.
"Buckingham Palace" and the Unsealed Texts
Just this week, new details surfaced from an October deposition that have people talking. Apparently, Justin Baldoni claimed in court documents that Blake referred to her NYC home office as “Buckingham Palace.” Why? Because so many celebrities were constantly walking through it.
Baldoni’s legal team is using this to paint a picture of an "untouchable" Hollywood elite who used her power to steamroll him. They even leaked texts where Baldoni told his agent he felt like Blake was setting him up for a "trap" by refusing to use a body double for intimate scenes.
On the flip side, Blake’s lawsuit is heavy. She’s accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and maintaining a toxic work environment. Her filings mention specific demands she had to make just to feel safe on set, like:
- No more showing her nude videos or images of other women.
- No more talking about his alleged past "pornography addiction" in front of her.
- No more adding unscripted sex scenes or "on-camera climaxing" that she hadn't approved.
Did Ryan Reynolds Actually Cause the Rift?
There’s been a lot of talk about how much Ryan Reynolds was "all over" this movie. Blake herself admitted in early interviews that Ryan actually wrote the iconic rooftop scene. While she meant it as a cute "we help each other" moment, it reportedly rubbed the actual production team the wrong way.
Industry insiders say there was a massive fracture during post-production. Two different cuts of the movie emerged—one by Baldoni and one commissioned by Blake from editor Shane Reid. Since Blake was a producer, she had the leverage to push her version.
Baldoni’s side basically argues that the "Deadpool" star and his wife took over the project, rendering the director's vision obsolete. Blake’s side argues they were just trying to save a film being made by someone they felt was behaving unprofessionally.
Business as Usual: Betty Buzz and Haircare
Honestly, if you only followed Blake on Instagram, you might not even know there’s a legal war happening. She has mastered the "pivot to business" move.
While the lawyers are arguing over subpoenas, Blake has been leaning hard into her beverage empire.
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- Betty Buzz and Betty Booze: Her drinks are now being served on all 16 ships in the Princess Cruises fleet.
- Nostalgia Marketing: She recently reunited with her Gossip Girl co-star Zuzanna Szadkowski (who played the legendary Dorota) for a Betty Booze ad. It was a smart move—using nostalgia to drown out the negative headlines.
- Blake Brown: Her haircare line is still a major focus, despite the "tone-deaf" criticism she got during the movie press tour for promoting it while talking about domestic violence.
What's Next for Blake Lively in 2026?
Blake isn't hiding. She’s actually returning to the screen in a new Lionsgate action rom-com called The Survival List.
In a bit of ironic casting, she’s playing a reality TV producer who gets shipwrecked on a deserted island with a "survival expert" who turns out to be a total fraud. She has to take charge to keep them alive. It’s her first big role since the controversy, and many see it as her way of reclaiming her "strong woman in charge" narrative.
She’s also still attached to A Simple Favor 2 with Anna Kendrick, which is one of the most anticipated sequels in the works.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Story
- Watch the May Trial: This is where the actual evidence—the emails, the videos, and the witness testimonies—will finally become public record.
- Check the Credits: Keep an eye on The Survival List. If Blake is pulling "double duty" as star and producer again, it shows she hasn't backed down on wanting creative control.
- Ignore the "Separation" Rumors: Every few months, weird Instagram activity sparks rumors that Blake and Ryan are splitting. There is zero factual evidence for this; they are currently a united front in the legal battles against Baldoni.
The next few months are going to be a masterclass in celebrity crisis management. Whether Blake comes out of the May trial with her "America's Sweetheart" image intact or as a "cautionary tale" of Hollywood power dynamics remains to be seen.