Justin Baldoni is on the verge of bankruptcy amid ongoing legal battle.
The It Ends With US director is “devastated” by his ongoing legal dispute with Blake Lively, his co-star in the film, according to his attorney Bryan Freedman per People magazine.
During a pre-trial hearing on February 3, Freedman provided an update on the situation, stating that his clients, including Baldoni, are “devastated emotionally and financially” by the lawsuit.
Freedman’s clients also include publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel, producers Steve Sarowitz and Jamey Heath of the movie and their production company Wayfarer Studios.
The hearing discussed Lively’s potential request for a gag order amidst the lawsuits filed by both parties.
Additionally, the attorney said at one point, “Not to sound like a 4-year-old fighting a 4-year-old with ‘they started it,’ but in these kinds of cases, once someone says something it becomes fact: There’s no way to fight against it.”
The legal battle between Baldoni and Blake Lively escalated on January 16, when Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their public relations representatives.
The lawsuit accused Lively’s side of civil extortion, defamation, and other offenses, in response to Lively’s earlier claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her.
The Jane the Virgin star’s lawsuit also followed an article published by The New York Times, which prompted his lawyers to file a separate lawsuit against the publication.
According to Lively’s lawsuit, Baldoni’s alleged actions during the production and promotion of It Ends With Us caused her significant emotional distress, including “grief, fear, trauma, and extreme anxiety.”
The lawsuit seeks undisclosed damages for “intentional infliction of emotional distress” and “interference” with her business ventures, including her haircare company, Blake Brown Haircare.
In a statement to the Times on December 20, the Gossip Girl alum said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”
The Lively v. Wayfarer Studios litigation is set for March 2026. Judge Lewis Liman warned both sides against press statements that could influence the jury.z
