The legal drama brewing behind the scenes of the movie It Ends With Us just took another twist. Actor Justin Baldoni is pushing back hard against claims from his co-star, Isabela Ferrer. She accused him of harassment after he sent her a subpoena.
Baldoni’s legal team made their position clear on Tuesday, August 19. Court papers, obtained by a prominent entertainment publication, show they replied to Ferrer’s formal objection. They told Judge Lewis J. Liman that Blake Lively, another star of the film, was actually the first to send a subpoena to Ferrer. This happened back in February. Ferrer’s own lawyer accepted Lively’s request, according to these documents.
Baldoni’s team explained they simply followed suit. They issued their own subpoena, asking the 24-year-old Ferrer for “documents she did not submit or that were not requested” by Lively’s team. They claim they asked Ferrer’s lawyer for this information twice, but those requests were ignored.
The lawyers for Baldoni also noted they didn’t contact Ferrer’s talent agent. They believed her lawyer was the right person to talk to about the subpoena.
They firmly denied Ferrer’s harassment accusations. They pointed out they were not the first to subpoena the actress in this ongoing case. Baldoni’s team asked the court to approve their motion to subpoena Ferrer.
This response from Baldoni came after Ferrer accused him of harassing her with the subpoena. She asked the court to deny his request. Ferrer, who is 24, plays the younger version of Lively’s character in the 2024 adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel. Baldoni, who is 41, has said before that Ferrer was on the set of It Ends With Us. He considers her a key witness in his legal battle with Lively.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in “It Ends With Us.” Sony Pictures Releasing/Courtesy Everett Collection
This recent development is just one small part of a much bigger legal battle. Lively’s own lawsuit against Baldoni, who also directed the film, began in December 2024. She accused him of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. Lively also claimed he organized a smear campaign against her. Baldoni flat-out denied these accusations. He then sued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane. He claimed defamation and extortion. Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane denied his accusations and asked for the lawsuit to be thrown out. In June, the judge sided with them, dismissing Baldoni’s lawsuit.
Lively’s lawyers celebrated the decision. They stated the court dismissed Baldoni’s “frivolous $400 million lawsuit” completely. They also called his lawyer’s promise to refile the case untrue. “The court’s dismissal of Baldoni’s fraudulent lawsuit was a total victory after all,” they said.
After Lively’s legal win, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, issued his own statement. He said the court’s decision did not change the fact that there was no harassment or smear campaign. It also didn’t weaken their strong defense against Lively’s accusations. Freedman added that they are still gathering evidence. He trusts they will win against these “factually baseless accusations.” Instead of changing their current claims, he stated his clients are looking at more legal options they have.
Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni is still moving forward. The trial is scheduled for March 2026. Just last month, Baldoni’s legal team questioned Lively in New York City.