Bang Showbiz NZ

Justin Baldoni's attorney addresses potential settlement with Blake Lively

Bang Showbiz NZ

Tue, 18 March 2026 at 12:03 am GMT-7·2-min read

Justin Baldoni's attorney insisted they may not be open to a settlement with Blake Lively. The actress, 36, and 49-year-old filmmaker have been embroiled in a bitter labyrinthine legal dispute for months after she accused him of harassment while they made domestic abuse movie ‘It Ends With Us’. Appearing on Matthew Belloni's podcast 'The Town', Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman was asked "what it would require for this to go away", as he referred to the "potential for the circus and the damage to both sides". But Freedman argued: "You keep referring to it as a circus and I get it. You see a lot of cases. "You see a lot of things, but the reality is this is not a circus when you go through an experience like this. "I’ve represented a lot of people in the worst moments of their career, the worst moments of their life. Justin has been destroyed by this." Freedman suggested "the only way" to really attempt to prove his client's innocence could be in court. He continued: "In this day and age, the only way that you can truly get back is to prove your innocence and that’s what we’re actively working to [do]. "That may only be able to be done in a courtroom." Justin, 41, completed filming on 'It Ends With Us' in early 2024 and started a press tour in August, and after fans noted Blake did not participate in interviews with him or attend the film’s premiere. Blake then filed a sexual harassment complaint against Justin – alleging that he and his agents conducted a smear campaign against her. Her lawsuit against him is set to go to trial in March 2026, following her initial filing in New York Federal Court. Blake - who played Justin's on-screen love interest in the movie - previously told the New York Times newspaper: "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." Justin - who also directed the 2024 romantic drama film - has denied the allegations, with his lawyer describing the claims as "categorically false". Bryan, who is acting as a lawyer for the actor and his Wayfarer Studios production company, told Variety: "These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media."