Justin Baldoni Says He Will Testify at “It Ends with Us” Trial to Push Back on Blake Lively’s Smear Campaign Allegations
Justin Baldoni Says He Will Testify at “It Ends with Us” Trial to Push Back on Blake Lively’s Smear Campaign Allegations
Elizabeth RosnerFri, April 10, 2026 at 4:48 PM UTC
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Justin Baldoni and Blake LivelyCredit: John Nacion/Getty; ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty -
Justin Baldoni plans to testify at the It Ends with Us trial — despite being dismissed as a defendant
A judge recently threw out 10 of Blake Lively’s 13 claims, including harassment, defamation and conspiracy, dealing a major blow to her lawsuit
The parties are now clashing over witness disclosures ahead of the trial on May 18
Despite being dismissed from the case as a defendant, Justin Baldoni plans to testify at the upcoming It Ends with Us trial, according to a new court filing.
“Defendants will be serving an amended witness list reflecting that dismissed defendants Justin Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan will appear to provide in person testimony as their testimony remains relevant to refute Plaintiff’s false allegations of a smear campaign,” his lawyers wrote in the filing reviewed by PEOPLE.
The letter filed with the court on Thursday, April 9 offers the clearest signal yet of how Baldoni’s team intends to defend itself against Blake Lively’s claims as the case heads toward trial.
In the same filing, Baldoni’s attorneys pushed back on the Gossip Girl alum's request to require immediate clarity on which witnesses will testify live versus by deposition, as both sides continue to clash over pretrial disclosures.
The lawyers also said that other previously named defendants, including Steve Sarowitz and Jennifer Abel, “will not appear in person but by deposition.”
The latest dispute comes just days after a major ruling that significantly narrowed the case—and removed Baldoni, 42, as a defendant. Wayfarer Studios, which was co-founded by Baldoni, is still named as a defendant in the remaining claims, including retaliation.
On April 2, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled on Baldoni’s summary judgement, throwing out 10 of Lively’s 13 claims — including harassment, defamation and conspiracy — in a decision that dealt a major blow to her case.
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A narrower set of allegations — including breach of contract and two retaliation-related claims — will move forward to trial against the remaining parties.
Following the ruling, Lively, 38, said through her attorney, Sigrid McCawley, that she “looks forward to testifying at trial.”
As part of the court’s pretrial schedule, the judge also ordered Lively to submit her final witness list and exhibit list on April 10, offering a clearer picture of how both sides plan to present their cases.
Baldoni’s lawyers said on April 2 they were “still processing the impact of the Court’s summary judgment ruling,” adding that it “may have significantly changed the landscape of the trial.”
They asked the judge to deny Lively’s request, saying the timing of their witness disclosures does not harm her case.
The filing marks the latest escalation in an increasingly contentious pretrial phase, as both sides continue to battle over witnesses, evidence and trial strategy in the weeks leading up to jury selection.
A trial is scheduled to begin in New York on May 18.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
