The legal war between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over their film It Ends With Us has officially concluded, but the financial fallout continues. After nearly two years of lawsuits, countersuits, and public accusations, a federal judge has ordered Baldoni to pay Lively’s legal fees while denying her request for additional damages. The dispute, which began with allegations of sexual harassment on set, ultimately saw most claims dismissed before a settlement was reached in May 2026.
The Origins of the Dispute on the It Ends With Us Set
The conflict traces back to the production of It Ends With Us, the 2024 film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel about domestic violence. Lively starred in the film while Baldoni served as both her co-star and director. The movie became a box office success, grossing over $350 million globally, but behind the scenes, tensions were building to a breaking point.
In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department alleging she suffered severe emotional distress after Baldoni and key stakeholders sexually harassed her on set. She also claimed that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign against her after she raised concerns about his behavior.
The complaint quickly escalated into a full-scale legal war. Lively formalized her complaint into a lawsuit against Baldoni in New York on December 31, 2024. On the same day, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times for libel and false light invasion of privacy, accusing the newspaper of cherry-picking text messages and publishing a one-sided narrative based on Lively’s allegations.
Baldoni’s $400 Million Countersuit and Industry Support for Lively
Baldoni responded to Lively’s lawsuit by filing a $400 million civil lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane. The countersuit accused them of extortion and defamation, claiming that Lively had fabricated the harassment allegations to seize creative control of the film and damage his reputation. The lawsuits were consolidated into a single case in January 2025.
As the legal battle unfolded, Lively received significant public support from industry figures and organizations. Sony Pictures, the studio that distributed It Ends With Us, issued a statement in December 2024 expressing support for Lively and condemning any reputational attacks on her. The studio said such attacks had no place in the business or in civil society.
SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, also applauded Lively’s courage in speaking out about issues of retaliation and harassment. The union emphasized that employees have every right to raise concerns and that retaliation for reporting misconduct is illegal and wrong. Lively’s co-star Jenny Slate publicly defended her, describing the attack on Lively as terribly dark, disturbing, and threatening, and commending her bravery. Quick Bio: Justin Baldoni
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Justin Louis Baldoni |
| Age | 42 (born January 24, 1984) |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actor, Director, Producer, Author |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Education | California State University, Long Beach (attended) |
| Years Active | 2004–present |
| Notable Works | Jane the Virgin, Five Feet Apart, Clouds, It Ends With Us, Man Enough (podcast and book) |
| Awards | Teen Choice Awards, Imagen Awards, MTV Movie & TV Awards |
| Net Worth | Estimated $5 million (as of 2026) |
| Spouse or Partner | Emily Baldoni (née Foxler, m. 2013) |
| Social Media | Instagram: @justinbaldoni; TikTok: @justinbaldoni |
Note: Net worth figures are estimates based on publicly available data and may not reflect current financial standing. Social media statuses are subject to change.
Key Court Rulings Narrow the Case
The legal proceedings took a dramatic turn in June 2025 when Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane. The judge ruled that Lively’s statements were made within legal filings and were therefore privileged under California law. He also found that Baldoni had not adequately alleged that Lively’s threats were wrongful extortion rather than permissible hard bargaining.
In his ruling, Liman wrote that regardless of the propriety of Lively’s actions, they did not constitute civil extortion under California law. He noted that Baldoni had not shown that some of Lively’s allegedly extortionate acts damaged him. The judge also dismissed Baldoni’s defamation claims against The New York Times, writing that the newspaper had reviewed available evidence and reported what it believed to have happened without an obvious motive to favor Lively’s version.
However, the judge also gutted much of Lively’s case against Baldoni in April 2026. Liman dismissed Lively’s claims of sexual harassment, finding that she could not bring them because she was an independent contractor rather than an employee on the movie set. This ruling left Lively with only certain claims of retaliation against Baldoni’s public relations team over alleged harm to her reputation.
The May 2026 Settlement Brings No Financial Exchange
With the trial on Lively’s retaliation claim scheduled for May 18, 2026, both parties reached a settlement on May 4, 2026. The joint statement issued by their legal teams expressed a commitment to workplaces free of improprieties and a hope that the resolution would bring closure and allow all involved to move forward constructively and in peace.
The statement acknowledged that the process had presented challenges and recognized that concerns raised by Lively deserved to be heard. Both parties also expressed pride in the film It Ends With Us and its focus on raising awareness about domestic violence. The settlement included a joint public statement and barred future claims related to the dispute.
Perhaps most notably, the settlement involved no financial exchange between the parties. Multiple sources confirmed that no money changed hands as part of the core agreement, though the specific terms remained confidential. One source close to the matter cautioned that anyone purporting to confirm the terms of the confidential settlement at that point was misleading the public.
The Fight Over Legal Fees Continues
While the settlement resolved the core dispute, it left one crucial issue unresolved: Lively’s request for Baldoni to cover her attorneys’ fees and costs related to defending against his dismissed countersuit. On June 12, 2026, Judge Liman ruled that Lively was entitled to recover legal fees from Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios.
The judge cited a California law designed to protect survivors of sexual harassment from retaliatory defamation lawsuits. Under California Civil Code Section 47.1, a person who successfully defends against a retaliatory defamation lawsuit is entitled to recover their legal fees. Liman found that there was no evidence of malice in Lively’s statements about Baldoni and Wayfarer, making her eligible for fee recovery.
However, the judge denied Lively’s request for additional damages, including punitive damages and treble damages. Liman explained that these did not fall within carefully crafted federal procedural rules designed to protect the rights of the parties. Lively’s attorneys called the ruling a clear victory, stating that the court had made it clear she brought her claims in good faith and was the prevailing defendant under Section 47.1.
Lively Seeks $8 Million in Legal Costs
On June 29, 2026, Lively’s legal team filed a motion seeking $8,035,040.88 from Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. The amount includes nearly $7.5 million in attorneys’ fees and approximately $500,000 in litigation costs. The fees cover work performed by two law firms that represented Lively, with lead attorney Michael Gottlieb of Willkie Farr and Gallagher charging an average hourly rate of $2,187.
Gottlieb billed $457,000 across 224 hours of work on Lively’s defense against Baldoni’s countersuit. His firm received roughly $4.5 million in total fees, while co-lead attorney Esra Hudson of Manatt Phelps and Phillips received approximately $2.9 million. The $8 million request represents only a portion of what Lively spent over 18 months of litigation and covers only the cost of defending against Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit.
Lively’s lawyers argued that Baldoni and Wayfarer employed scorched-earth litigation tactics designed to drain her resources. They wrote that Baldoni could have ended the litigation and offered to reimburse Lively at any time, and having refused to do so, should be ordered to reimburse her for all costs and fees they improperly forced her to incur.
Both Sides Claim Victory in the Aftermath
Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman pushed back against the significance of the ruling, emphasizing that Lively had only been awarded limited attorney fees for a single claim. He noted that 10 of Lively’s 13 claims had been dismissed by the court, including all sexual harassment and defamation claims. Freedman maintained that Lively’s attempt to use the California law to obtain damages had failed.
Freedman said his team had fought and won against what he described as a coordinated effort built on allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and a smear campaign that never happened. He stated that throughout the process, innocent people had their reputations unfairly tarnished, and he maintained that there was no sexual harassment, no retaliation, and no smear campaign.
In mid-June 2026, Freedman released the full settlement agreement to provide clarity and allow both parties to move on. He expressed hope that Baldoni could have time with his family and continue moving forward with his career. He also wished Lively the dignity to move on with her life, saying it was time to learn from the experience and move forward.
Public Statements and the Road to Resolution
Nearly two years into the conflict, Baldoni and his wife Emily released a video statement in July 2026 describing the trauma, injustice, and pain their family endured. They thanked their supporters and expressed that they were in the process of healing. Lively made no major public statements following the settlement and fee ruling based on available reporting.
The joint settlement statement from May 2026 had expressed hope that the resolution would allow all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including creating a respectful environment online. Both parties remained committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.
Baldoni’s legal team has until July 13, 2026, to respond to Lively’s fee motion. Judge Liman will then decide how much, if anything, to award. The exact amount remains undetermined, but the case has already set a significant precedent for how California law protects survivors of sexual harassment from retaliatory defamation lawsuits.
The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has drawn widespread attention within the entertainment industry and beyond. Advocacy groups, including Equal Rights Advocates and the California Employment Lawyers Association, filed amicus briefs in support of Lively, arguing that the outcome would affect the decision-making of other victims of sexual harassment and assault. While the dispute has officially ended, its implications for workplace conduct and accountability in Hollywood will likely continue to resonate for years to come.Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final outcome of the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit?
The legal dispute ended with a settlement on May 4, 2026, in which both parties agreed to end all differences and disputes without any money exchanging hands. However, in June 2026, Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Baldoni must pay Lively’s legal fees, and she has since requested approximately $8 million. Her request for additional damages, including punitive damages, was denied.
Why were most of Blake Lively’s harassment claims dismissed?
Judge Liman dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment claims in April 2026 because she was classified as an independent contractor on the film set rather than an employee. Under the applicable employment laws, the protections she sought did not extend to her specific working arrangement, leaving only her retaliation claim to proceed toward trial.
Did Justin Baldoni admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement?
No. The joint settlement statement did not contain any admission of wrongdoing by either party. Both sides expressed a commitment to workplaces free of improprieties and acknowledged the challenges of the process, but the agreement allowed them to resolve the dispute without either party accepting liability.
What law allowed Blake Lively to recover her legal fees?
Judge Liman applied California Civil Code Section 47.1, which permits a person who successfully defends against a retaliatory defamation lawsuit to recover their legal fees and costs. The judge found no evidence of malice in Lively’s statements about Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, making her eligible for fee recovery under that statute.
Is the legal battle completely over between Lively and Baldoni?
Not entirely. While the core lawsuit has been settled, the fight over legal fees remains unresolved. Baldoni’s legal team has until July 13, 2026, to respond to Lively’s request for approximately $8 million in attorneys’ fees and costs. Judge Liman will then make a final determination on the amount awarded, if any.
