On April 2, 2026, in Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC, 2026 WL 905447, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (SDNY), addressed claims arising from the production of the film It Ends With Us involving actress Blake Lively, actor Justin Baldoni, and entities affiliated with Wayfarer Studios. Although pending in the SDNY, the decision analyzed several issues concerning protections under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), including worker classification, the breadth of FEHA’s retaliation protections, and the territorial scope of California employment statutes.

Overview of the Claims

The dispute stems from the production of It Ends With Us, a film co-produced by Wayfarer Studios and Sony. Blake Lively alleges that director and co-star Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer executive Jamey Heath, and affiliated entities subjected her to sexual harassment and created a hostile work environment during production. Lively’s complaints centered largely on conduct occurring on set during the first phase of production in New Jersey, including alleged unwanted physical contact by Baldoni, comments about her weight and appearance, and an incident in which Heath allegedly viewed her in a state of undress without her consent.

According to the complaint, these concerns culminated in a January 2024 all-hands meeting, at which Lively presented a written list of conditions for her return to production. Lively alleges that, in response to these complaints, Wayfarer retained...

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