Actor and director Justin Baldoni is staying strong as he faces a high-profile legal battle with co-star Blake Lively, according to his attorney Bryan Freedman.

After attending a hearing in New York City on Tuesday, Freedman told reporters that Baldoni is doing "as well as he can" and is remaining focused on the legal process ahead.

Freedman said Baldoni is "hopeful and looks forward to a positive resolution in the case," adding that the actor's family has also stayed supportive during the ongoing stress, PrimeTimer reported.

He described Baldoni as a "wonderful" and "meaningful" person and said that once the case is resolved, "he'll be back to the great man that he was."

The case began in 2024 when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni has denied the claims from the start.

He later filed a countersuit for $400 million, accusing Lively of extortion and defamation, but that claim was dismissed. Lively is now seeking $160 million in damages.

Judge Delays Baldoni-Lively Trial for Criminal Cases

During Tuesday's post-discovery hearing, Judge Lewis J. Liman announced that the civil trial—originally planned to begin in March—will be pushed to May.

The judge explained that two criminal trials scheduled for the same time must take priority. "As important as this case is... criminal trials take precedence," he said.

The judge also instructed both sides to contact a magistrate judge to discuss a possible settlement.

Sources told TMZ that this next step was directly ordered in hopes of finding a resolution before the trial begins. Even with the delay, Freedman said the schedule change does not affect his legal strategy.

Baldoni's studio, Wayfarer Studios, also commented on the update, stating, "This has no bearing on the pleadings themselves."

The studio said that the judge's decision on summary judgment—expected after a January 22 hearing—will help determine the next steps.

Lively's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, noted that he already has another trial scheduled for the same day as the new May 18 start date but will try to make himself available for this case.

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Lawsuit