Blake Lively Alleges Justin Baldoni's Auto-Deleted Messages in 2026 NY Smear Campaign Trial

Blake Lively's legal team has accused Justin Baldoni and his associates of using the Signal app's auto-deleting feature to deliberately destroy evidence related to an alleged smear campaign against her. Court filings reveal that Baldoni's team allegedly coordinated efforts to disparage Lively while hiding communications on encrypted platforms, obstructing discovery by withholding documents or misusing attorney-client privilege. Lively's attorneys are seeking sanctions against Baldoni's side, including adverse jury instructions assuming deleted evidence would be unfavorable. Baldoni denies orchestrating any smear campaign, asserting that negative online reactions to Lively were organic, and his $400 million defamation countersuit was dismissed earlier in 2025. The lawsuit, stemming from Lively's December 2024 sexual harassment claims against Baldoni, is set for trial in March 2026, with both parties preparing for a contentious battle over evidence preservation and discovery violations. These developments mark a significant escalation in the legal dispute surrounding the film "It Ends With Us."