Blake Lively Flaunts Slim Figure in Rare Bikini Amid Legal Battle with Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively confidently showcased her slim figure in a rare bikini snap amid her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni. 

The 38-year-old actress — who recently made an ‘awkward’ return to the spotlight this week — jumped to her Instagram stories on Saturday as she posed up a storm during a relaxing boat day on the water. 

The star has been embroiled in a legal war after she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni late last year in December, and has been keeping a low profile since testifying a few months earlier in July. 

Baldoni — who co-starred with Lively in It Ends With Us and directed the 2024 project — filed a dismissed $400 million defamation lawsuit against the Gossip Girl alum, her husband Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane.

In her latest image, the mom-of-four flashed a cheerful smile as she sat on the back of a boat as the sun shone down on her. 

Lively sported a two-piece, salmon-colored swimsuit from the brand Left On Friday and styled her blonde locks into a messy braid. 

In text added towards the bottom of the photo, she thanked a close pal for ‘influencing me and everyone I know to be obsessed with @leftonfriday bathing suits and workout clothes.’ 

Lively continued, ‘This is not an ad. I’ve legitimately never had a better fit of either. Started by two women. Love love love. 

‘Also shout out to my pretty necklaces by more female bosses @thatch.jewelry & @jenmeyerjewelry,’ she concluded. 

The track titled In Summer by Josh Gad played in the background as the actress embraces the final days of summer weather. 

Lively, however, did not mention the ongoing legal war with Baldoni in her new picture – with the pair slated to go to trial next year in March 2026. 

Last month in August, the star’s tense conversation with Baldoni’s lawyer over an alleged smear campaign against her was revealed in her deposition, per People.

At one point, Lively claimed that the ‘smear campaign’ against her has not come to an end. When asked if it was still ‘ongoing,’ the actress replied with, ‘It feels that way, yes.’

She added, ‘I believe the act of a retaliatory lawsuit and the press that you have done and the statements that you have made about me and my character have felt incredibly retaliatory.’ 

One month before she began testify, Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in June. 

And in August, a spokesperson for the actress stated that they are, ‘pleased with the outcome of her deposition and looked forward to deposing Justin and each of the co-defendants in short order.’

The transcript of the deposition is reportedly 300 pages long and portions have since been made public. 

Earlier this week on Friday, Lively stepped back into the public eye at a New York beauty event — her first outing since a storm of legal drama and the collapse of her high-profile friendship with Taylor Swift.

And insiders tell the Daily Mail that the actress appeared ‘awkward’ during her ‘rambling’ guest appearance at Glossy Pop NYC, with exclusive footage showing she still appeared rattled by the upheaval in her personal life.

She has also stayed silent on Swift’s recent engagement to Travis Kelce after their friendship imploded earlier this year, when Baldoni’s lawyers claimed Lively tried to ‘coerce’ the pop superstar into making a public statement and deleting texts.

Though the subpoena was later dropped, the scandal clearly left its scars.

Blake’s unease was evident at the Glossy Pop panel, where she promoted her haircare line Blake Brown, with all her awkwardness caught on the exclusive video, and an insider dishing with a first hand account.

‘Blake seemed really nervous speaking at Glossy Pop. She was talking fast and giving long-winded answers. She said “umm” a lot and repeated things she said,’ the source said.

The star even grew self-conscious about her position on stage.

‘She also apologized to the audience to the side of her because she had her back turned to them,’ the source added.

Her husband Ryan Reynolds, meanwhile, was referenced in her light-hearted banter.

‘She was really nice to the audience and thanked a fan who came from Canada, joking she could’ve gotten a ride with her husband is there.’

Once she settled in, Lively opened up a bit more and showed flashes of her usual charm.

‘She admitted she doesn’t like filming videos of herself or TikTok in the bathroom and the one she posted she made months before she posted,’ the insider continued.

‘She said she had her emotional matcha drink with her on stage and had a sparkly purse as comfort. After she took selfies and photos with fans and stopped by her Blake Brown booth to take more photos.’

The insider also reported Lively said, ‘I’m a very, very shy person and I always say this, but I’m in a very strange industry to be shy.’

Lively kept her focus away from the lawsuit during the event. 

Baldoni has denied the allegations brought about by Lively, while Lively, Reynolds and Sloane had denied the accusations made in litigation by Baldoni.

In June, Lively suffered a setback in the case when a judge denied her attorneys’ application for a protective order seeking to block her text messages with Taylor Swift from being entered as evidence.

Baldoni’s team subpoenaed Lively for text messages, emails and any other messages between her and Swift.

His lawyers have subsequently been allowed to pore through the text trail, with all communications related to It Ends With Us set for scrutiny.

In one embarrassing text exchange, Lively appeared to refer to herself as the Game of Thrones character Khaleesi, and to Swift as one of her ‘dragons.’

Elsewhere in Baldoni’s filing is the claim that Swift was present at a meeting convened by Lively at her New York penthouse to discuss It Ends With Us script changes.

Sources close to Swift insisted the singer had no knowledge of the meeting and simply arrived to find it underway.

The situation reportedly left Swift — who is godmother to Lively’s three daughters — feeling ‘exploited’ by her friend of 10 years.