The celebrity trials set to shake Hollywood in 2026

Sunday 04 January 2026 - 17:30

By: Sahili Aya

The celebrity trials set to shake Hollywood in 2026

Hollywood is preparing for a turbulent legal year as several high-profile court cases involving major stars are expected to dominate headlines in 2026.

One of the most closely watched trials will be the lawsuit filed by actress Blake Lively against director Justin Baldoni, scheduled to begin on May 18, 2026, after being postponed. Lively accuses Baldoni, the filmmaker behind It Ends With Us, of sexual harassment and retaliatory behavior. According to the complaint, she alleges inappropriate conduct and describes a hostile working environment during the film’s production.

Justin Baldoni previously attempted to counter the accusations by filing a defamation lawsuit seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from Blake Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. However, this legal move was dismissed by a judge in 2025, leaving the court to focus solely on the claims brought forward by Lively.

Meanwhile, actor Kevin Spacey remains entangled in legal troubles. Despite being acquitted in a criminal trial in 2023, the two-time Academy Award winner is expected to face a new civil trial in the United Kingdom in October 2026. Three men have filed lawsuits alleging sexual assaults that reportedly took place between 2004 and 2015, during the period when Spacey was artistic director of London’s Old Vic Theatre.

Among the plaintiffs is British actor Ruari Cannon, who has publicly accused Spacey of inappropriate touching in 2013, when he was 21 years old. Two of the other claimants had previously testified in the criminal case. British courts are expected to hold additional hearings before the trial date to determine whether the cases will be examined together or separately.

As these proceedings unfold, Hollywood once again finds itself confronting serious questions about power, accountability, and justice within the entertainment industry.