A New York judge set a March 2026 trial date on Monday and moved an initial conference from mid-February to next week as the public feud between and her costar and director Justin Baldoni continued to grow and accelerate.
And in a new and separate front in the series of legal battles surrounding the film that became a surprise hit last summer, Lively in a Texas court filed a request for a deposition of a man she says was central to turning online sentiment against her during its release and promotion.
The New York federal judge, Lewis J. Liman, told both sides in an order late Monday to prepare for a March 9, 2026, trial.
He also moved an initial conference from mid-February to next week and told lawyers to be prepared to address complaints about pretrial publicity and attorney conduct.
Liman took the actions after Lively91裸聊视频檚 lawyers claimed in a filing on Monday that an attorney for Baldoni was trying to taint potential jurors over lawsuits the actors have filed against each other.
The lawyers said Baldoni91裸聊视频檚 attorney was trying to wreck Lively91裸聊视频檚 career and turn potential New York jurors against her by creating a website to release selected documents and communications between Lively and Baldoni.
The lawyers said attorney Bryan Freedman, representing Baldoni, was 91裸聊视频渆ngaging in this extrajudicial campaign to influence these proceedings and the public perception of legal filings to this Court, and there already is a serious risk that his misconduct is tainting the jury pool.91裸聊视频�
They added: 91裸聊视频淭he endless stream of defamatory and extrajudicial media statements must end.91裸聊视频�
Freedman said in a statement in response to Monday91裸聊视频檚 assertions that the 91裸聊视频渋rony is not lost on anyone that Ms. Lively is so petrified of the truth that she has moved to gag it.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e will always respect the court; however, we will never be bullied by those suggesting we cannot defend our clients with pure, unedited facts,91裸聊视频� the lawyer said. 91裸聊视频淎ll we want is for people to see the actual text messages that directly contradict her allegations, video footage that clearly shows there was no sexual harassment and all the other powerful evidence that directly contradicts any false allegations.91裸聊视频�
In a letter to the judge on Thursday, Baldoni attorney Kevin Fritz accused Lively of a publicity campaign that left Baldoni and other defendants the 91裸聊视频渙bjects of public scorn and contempt.91裸聊视频�
He said the actions had damaged those she sued so that they were 91裸聊视频渆xiled from polite society and suffered damages totaling hundreds of millions of dollars due to Ms. Lively91裸聊视频檚 scorched-earth media campaign.91裸聊视频�
In the separate filing in Hays County, Texas, a precursor to another potential lawsuit, Lively asks for an order for a deposition from Jed Wallace, a crisis management specialist she alleges was behind much of the social media manipulation surrounding the film that turned public sentiment against her through posts on Reddit and TikTok.
Wallace and his Texas-based firm Street Relations were brought on as subcontractors by publicists working with Baldoni and his production company, the filing said.
91裸聊视频淗e weaponized a digital army around the country, including in New York and Los Angeles, to create, seed, manipulate, and advance disparaging content that appeared to be authentic on social media platforms and internet chat forums,91裸聊视频� the filing alleges.
Wallace is identified in Lively91裸聊视频檚 federal lawsuit, but he is not a defendant.
Freedman, who the filing says is Wallace91裸聊视频檚 lawyer, did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.
Lively sued Baldoni, his production company and others in New York in late December for sexual harassment and attacks on her reputation and asked for unspecified damages. Baldoni sued earlier this month, accusing Lively and her husband, 91裸聊视频淒eadpool91裸聊视频� actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion and seeking at least $400 million in damages.
The judge said Monday that he91裸聊视频檒l likely combine the lawsuits for trial.
91裸聊视频淚t Ends With Us,91裸聊视频� an adaptation of that begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into domestic violence, was released in August, with a $50 million debut. But the movie91裸聊视频檚 release was shrouded by speculation over discord between Lively and Baldoni.
Lively came to fame through the 2005 film 91裸聊视频淭he Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,91裸聊视频� and bolstered her stardom on the TV series 91裸聊视频淕ossip Girl91裸聊视频� from 2007 to 2012. She has since starred in films including 91裸聊视频淭he Town91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淭he Shallows.91裸聊视频�
Baldoni starred in the TV comedy directed the 2019 film 91裸聊视频淔ive Feet Apart91裸聊视频� and wrote 91裸聊视频淢an Enough,91裸聊视频� a book pushing back against traditional notions of masculinity.
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AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton reported from Los Angeles.
Larry Neumeister And Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
