Blake Lively poses at Another Simple Favour world premiere amid legal battle

US actress Blake Lively posed for photos at the world premiere of Another Simple Favour, amid her legal battle with Justin Baldoni, on Friday.

The Gossip Girl star, 37, wore a strapless nude pink dress to the event, which opened the SXSW Film and TV Festival in Austin, Texas.

The film, a sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favour, is Lively’s first new movie since It Ends With Us and the subsequent legal drama involving Lively and the movie’s director and co-star, Baldoni.

Lively sued Baldoni, 41, and several others tied to the romantic drama, in late December, alleging harassment and a co-ordinated campaign to attack her reputation, for coming forward about her treatment on the set.

Baldoni, who denies Lively’s allegations, then sued the actress and her husband, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and extortion, in January.

A trial date is set for March 2026.

Also at the premiere were Lively’s co-stars, Pitch Perfect actress Anna Kendrick and Italian actor Michele Morrone.

The trailer for Another Simple Favour, which streams on Prime Video from May 1, shows the return of Lively’s character Emily as she invites Stephanie (Kendrick) to the island of Capri off Italy for her extravagant wedding.

The teaser shows a montage of explosions, glamorous parties, and a body on a stretcher, with the words “revenge is a dish best served chilled, with a twist”.

Last month, Lively and Reynolds, 48, attended an anniversary show for Saturday Night Live (SNL) during which the Canadian actor joked “why? what have you heard”, after being asked how he was by actress and comedian Amy Poehler.