The legal battle between former “Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively, 38, and director Justin Baldoni, 42, is heading to court in May, multiple outlets report.
The dispute stems from events following the August 2024 release of “It Ends With Us,” in which Lively and Baldoni starred.
Several months after the film’s premiere, Lively sued her co-star and the director for sexual harassment, allegations Baldoni has denied. The case highlights the increasing scrutiny of power dynamics within the film industry.
“It’s Unfortunate”
“It Ends With Us,” starring Lively and Baldoni, is based on the bestselling book by Colleen Hoover, 46, of the same name.
On Thursday, Hoover appeared on Jenna Bush Hager’s podcast, “Open Book With Jenna,” where she was asked about the difficulty of seeing her work connected to the legal dispute.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s getting easier to separate the two things because I look at the success of the movie. In the opening week, we were all so shocked at how many readers showed up to spot it, how well it did, and how much it resonated. I’m so proud of that film,”
Hoover said, adding, “Even though it’s unfortunate, I’m still incredibly grateful that we got to see the movie come to life.”
Hoover broke her silence regarding the legal battle in November 2025, describing it as “a circus” to Elle, according to Us Magazine.
Taleopptak avslørt: – Jeg fikk frysninger
She said at the time that the conflict had largely impacted the careers of some of the actors involved.
“And I think that’s sad. I’m just trying to stay away from the negativity. I have my own story that I could tell, but I don’t want to shine a light on that, and I don’t want to have to diminish anyone else to lift myself up. So I’d rather just ignore it, and let people think and say what they want,” she stated.
Shared Concerning News
In January, Hoover shared the news that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
In the post, she wrote that the illness was not due to family genes, HPV, or hormones.
“This means it’s most likely environmental/lifestyle, which is a lack of exercise, poor diet, and stress. I’m grateful to be alive, but I hate vegetables. I hate getting out of the couch. I hate sweating. I hate when science is right,” she wrote.
