Justin Baldoni challenges Blake Lively’s $35m claim on unmade ‘It Ends With Us’ sequel

During a court session on Tuesday, a lawyer for Justin Baldoni criticised Blake Lively's aim for over $200 million in damages in the dispute between the "It Ends With Us" stars' upcoming civil lawsuit as "unrealistic".

The attorney for Baldoni, Amir Kaltgrad, highlighted $35 million in damages the actor claimed from a sequel or prequel that was never realized, something a specialist for Lively is expected to testify about.

"There was never a possibility of collaboration," Kaltgrad informed the judge, stating the expert's calculations lacked basis.

Defending Lively, attorney Naeun Rim argued that Baldoni had advocated for a follow-up. "He even suggested she might direct at some stage," Rim mentioned to the judge.

Lively's retaliation lawsuit is slated for trial next month before a federal jury in Manhattan. Attorneys from both camps were in court Tuesday, discussing the eligibility of their experts to testify.

Lively asserts that she endured losses worth hundreds of millions due to career and business damages stemming from an online defamation campaign allegedly engineered by Baldoni.

Lively alleges that she became a target by her co-star after raising issues regarding inappropriate conduct on set, like claims of sexual misconduct.

A judge dismissed most of Lively's claims from her lawsuit — including sexual harassment — earlier this month, before the trial date set for May 18.

Lively's experts are expected to demonstrate that by early August 2024, a surge of adverse comments on social platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter had cost her an estimated $39.6 million and $143.5 million in forecasted earnings from her Blake Brown hair-care line and her Betty Booze drink line.

Rim stated that the adverse "campaign" swiftly undermined a long-standing acting career and disrupted a hair-care line debut that was seven years in preparation.

"We have here an actress with a two-decade-long history of featuring in major projects," the legal representative for the "Gossip Girl" actress stated to the judge.

"It marked the most significant hair-care launch in Target's history," Rim also said, referencing the Blake Brown brand.

"In just a few days, all that effort was wiped out due to these actions," Rim added.

Another lawyer for Baldoni, Fabien Thayamballi, mentioned to the judge that the negative comments Lively encountered in early August 2024 coincided with the movie's debut.

Back then, Lively was being criticised for campaigning for cast members to stop following Baldoni on social media, Thayamballi noted.

She also faced backlash for promoting her alcoholic beverage line concurrently with the release of a poignant film about domestic abuse, Thayamballi conveyed to the judge.