Blake Lively’s legal battle against Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios intensified on Thursday when her legal team filed a new motion, seeking to prevent the dismissal of her lawsuit and urging that the Blake Lively lawsuit trial moves forward. The request, filed in court, aims to ensure the case—which centers on allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and a hostile work environment during the production of “It Ends With Us”—proceeds to a trial phase as scheduled in March 2026.
Lively’s Team Pushes Back Against Dismissal Effort
Lively’s legal representatives submitted their motion in response to an earlier request from Baldoni and his attorneys, who asked the judge to dismiss her lawsuit. Baldoni’s side previously argued that Lively’s case amounted to a “litany of minor grievances,” claiming the accusations failed to demonstrate that he and Wayfarer Studios created an “objectively hostile” set atmosphere. The background of the dispute traces back to several months earlier, when Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s own defamation suit targeting Lively. After missing the court-ordered deadline to file a revised complaint, Baldoni’s defamation case was dismissed entirely.
In their current court filing, Lively’s lawyers asserted that Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath, co-founder Steve Sarowitz, and other co-defendants are now trying to avoid the consequences of their behavior by pushing for Lively’s lawsuit to be dismissed before reaching trial. The motion pressed the court to allow Lively her opportunity to present the case before a jury, laying out claims of sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, and a planned attempt to undermine her career and reputation.
In their latest effort to avoid accountability for the hostile environment they created during the production and marketing of ‘It Ends With Us,’ Justin Baldoni, [Wayfarer Studios CEO] Jamey Heath, [Wayfarer Studios co-founder] Steve Sarowitz, and their co-defendants ask this Court to shield them from trial, and deny Blake Lively her day in court, by throwing the kitchen sink at Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation claims,
Lively’s legal team stated in their latest motion.
Allegations of a Hostile Work Environment and Refusal to Investigate
The legal documents provided by Lively’s side claim that her detailed allegations, including misconduct, hostile working conditions, and a deliberate smear campaign, are fully supported by witness accounts and documentary evidence from the filming of “It Ends With Us.” The team argued that the counter explanations submitted by Baldoni and his co-defendants were not credible under further examination.
scattershot theories collapse under the weight of the overwhelming evidence, in documents and testimony from witness after witness.
Lively’s legal team argued.
According to the 72-page, heavily redacted court motion, the defense’s characterization of the issues as insignificant creative disagreements fails to capture the seriousness and persistence of the hostile environment. Lively’s lawyers further accuse Baldoni and Wayfarer executives of abandoning company procedures and refusing to investigate legitimate complaints about their conduct on set.
This is not, as Defendants claim, a story of minor annoyances fueled by creative differences, but instead one of a toxic environment,
the court filing maintains.
Defendants created a hostile environment, and when confronted with complaints, they abandoned Wayfarer’s policies by refusing to investigate the concerns.
Accusations of Retaliation and Attack on Lively’s Reputation
Lively’s legal team contends that rather than engage with the concerns raised, Baldoni and his colleagues retaliated by attacking her character, painting her as a so-called “bully” who allegedly fabricated claims in an effort to seize control over the movie’s production. Her lawyers also emphasize that the defendant’s strategy has been focused on shifting blame and undermining her image in the industry.
went on the attack, claiming that they are victims of a ‘bully’ who ‘fabricated’ complaints to ‘take over the movie.’
Lively’s lawyers alleged.
The Defendants’ litigation strategy has parroted their inversion of victim and offender,
the filings declare.
They purposely, repeatedly, surreptitiously, and directly, attacked Lively’s character and reputation.
Lively’s attorneys criticized the defense’s ongoing campaign to recast Lively, referencing her personal and professional life, in order to discredit her claims. The legal team insists that Baldoni, Heath, and their associates misused their power and executive roles while ignoring appropriate responses to complaints.
Defendants’ campaign to transform Lively—a mother of four with decades of experience in the industry who simply sought a safe and respectful workplace—into a ‘bully’ who ‘took over’ Baldoni’s Film is not a defense to harassment, retaliation, defamation, or any claim Lively has advanced,
Lively’s representatives asserted.
Power Imbalance and Workplace Authority Detailed in Motion
In supporting evidence, Lively’s motion underscores the significant control that Baldoni and Heath exercised over both the production process and her daily working environment. The legal documents portray a scenario where those in authority set Lively’s schedule, managed her compensation, and handled any human resources-related issues.
Lively may be a movie star, but on the set of the Film, Heath and Baldoni were her bosses with a total consolidation of power,
the motion explains.
They set her schedule and her salary, appeared on and managed the set every day, were responsible for receiving and addressing HR concerns, and had the power to exert influence over Lively’s working conditions. Heath and Baldoni also leveraged their close friendship to ‘act with a certain degree of impunity’ and cover the other’s misdeeds.
The legal filings claim that this concentration of authority made it difficult for Lively to report misconduct and contributed to the overall toxic climate described in her case.
Court’s Upcoming Decision and Potential Impact
Lively filed her lawsuit in December 2024, nearly a year prior to the recent court action. If Judge Lewis J. Liman agrees with Lively’s legal arguments and denies Baldoni’s request for dismissal, the Blake Lively lawsuit trial will move forward, with a window already decided for March 2026. The court’s imminent decision could set important precedents in how workplace complaints and executive authority are handled in film industry settings, and the outcome is likely to affect both the reputations and the legal responsibilities of those involved, including Lively, Baldoni, and other senior figures at Wayfarer Studios.
