Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Baldoni to Testify as Lively Names Ryan Reynolds in Narrowed 'It Ends With Us' Trial

Pretrial bids to block celebrity testimony could decide what jurors hear in the May 18 case.

Overview

  • Justin Baldoni asked the judge on Friday to block evidence from several women, including co‑star Jenny Slate and author Colleen Hoover, arguing their accounts are irrelevant to the remaining issues.
  • Blake Lively’s team filed its witness list on Saturday naming Ryan Reynolds, Slate, Isabela Ferrer, Robyn Lively, and crisis PR executive Melissa Nathan, with Hoover expected to appear by deposition.
  • Baldoni says he will testify in person despite being dismissed as a defendant, and his side lists producer Jamey Heath and PR executive Melissa Nathan for live testimony while others would appear by deposition.
  • U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman on April 2 dismissed 10 of Lively’s 13 claims, leaving breach of contract and retaliation‑related counts for a Manhattan federal jury trial set to begin May 18.
  • A joint juror questionnaire asks if potential jurors know high‑profile figures such as Taylor Swift and Reynolds, reflecting concerns about celebrity exposure and what references the court will allow.