Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's Coordinated Courtroom Outfits Spark Awkwardness
In a surprising turn of events, Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively inadvertently arrived at a New York City courthouse wearing matching outfits during a court-ordered settlement conference. The It Ends with Us co-stars are embroiled in a high-stakes legal dispute, with Lively accusing Baldoni and the film's producers of sexual harassment and a reputational smear campaign, while Baldoni has denied the claims and previously countersued for extortion and defamation, though that $400 million lawsuit was dismissed.
Settlement Conference Details and Fashion Faux Pas
The settlement conference, held on Wednesday, is a standard procedure in federal civil litigation aimed at determining if the case can be resolved outside of court before the scheduled May 18 trial date. Lively, aged 38, appeared in an olive-green suit with a pale pink collared shirt, while Baldoni, 42, wore a similar long olive-green wool coat and a pale pink scarf. Baldoni was accompanied by his wife, Emily Baldoni, holding hands, whereas Lively's spouse, Ryan Reynolds, was notably absent from the proceedings.
Legal Arguments and Testimonies Unveiled
Prior to this conference, Baldoni's attorney requested a federal judge to dismiss Lively's lawsuit last month, arguing it constituted mere "petty slights." In response, Lively's legal team rejected this characterization, alleging that Baldoni and other defendants fostered a sexually charged work environment during production that marginalized women and later publicly attacked Lively after she raised concerns.
Depositions have brought to light testimonies from cast and crew, revealing intense behind-the-scenes drama. Jenny Slate, who played Baldoni's on-screen sister, described the shoot as "really gross and disturbing" in private texts to Lively, calling Baldoni "the biggest clown and the most intense narcissist." Additional testimonies include Lively's text exchanges with Taylor Swift, emails to Ben Affleck, and messages to Sony Pictures executives.
Social Media Fallout and Future Proceedings
A private text exchange from August 2024 between Jameela Jamil and her publicist Jennifer Abel, who also represented Baldoni, surfaced in the testimonies. They were responding to a TikTok criticising Lively's remarks during the It Ends with Us press tour as insufficiently serious, given the film's domestic abuse theme. Jamil texted, "She's a suicide bomber at this point," adding, "I've never seen such a bizarre villain act before."
If the settlement conference fails to yield an agreement, the case is set to proceed to trial in May, potentially exposing further details about the allegations and counterclaims.
