Actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni returned to a Manhattan federal court to resolve a dispute over damages following a previous legal settlement.
The return to court suggests that the agreement intended to end the high-profile feud was insufficient to resolve the financial fallout of the conflict. The case centers on sexual-harassment claims made by Lively regarding their work on the 2024 [1] film "It Ends With Us."
Reports indicate the two parties reached a settlement in May 2026 [2] that was expected to conclude the legal battle. However, a judge later ordered the stars to return to the New York City court to address lingering disagreements over damages [3].
There are conflicting reports regarding the stars' physical presence at the proceedings. Some reports said the legal battle reentered the federal court system [4], while other accounts said that Lively and Baldoni skipped the appearance after reaching a separate agreement [5].
The dispute stems from the production of the 2024 [1] movie, which became a focal point for public scrutiny regarding the professional relationship between the lead actors. While the May 2026 [2] settlement was presented as a resolution to the feud, the subsequent court order highlights the difficulty of finalizing financial terms in harassment-related litigation.
Legal representatives for both parties have not provided public updates on the specific dollar amounts being contested in the current damages dispute. The Manhattan federal court remains the venue for the resolution of these claims.
“The case centers on sexual-harassment claims made by Lively regarding their work on the 2024 film 'It Ends With Us.'”
The return to court after a reported settlement underscores the volatility of high-stakes celebrity litigation, particularly when sexual harassment claims are involved. It indicates that while a general agreement to end a 'feud' may be reached, the technical execution of damage payments often requires judicial intervention to be legally binding.
