Blake Lively will receive a settlement of just over $400,000 out of the $8 million she initially sought in legal fees from actor and director Justin Baldoni after resolving their dispute over their 2024 film “It Ends With Us,” according to a ruling by a federal judge on Wednesday.
In a written decision, Judge Lewis J. Liman in Manhattan detailed why Lively was not granted the full amount requested by her legal team following Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, filing counterclaims in response to Lively’s lawsuit from December 2024.
Despite acknowledging the intense legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, the judge limited Lively’s reimbursement of legal fees citing a California law aimed at safeguarding sexual harassment and discrimination survivors from retaliatory lawsuits. The law only allowed reimbursement for expenses incurred in defending against defamation claims rather than all claims made by Baldoni.
Consequently, the judge ruled that Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206 in costs.
Requests for comments from Baldoni and Lively’s representatives were made.
In her lawsuit, Lively alleged instances of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.
Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film with Lively, denied the harassment allegations and claimed that Lively’s complaints were fabricated to gain control of the movie.
Following the lawsuit, Baldoni and Wayfarer filed counterclaims against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, for civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and economic interference. However, the counterclaims were dismissed by Liman in June 2025.
The sexual harassment claims made by Lively were also rejected by the judge nearly a year later on the grounds that she was considered an independent contractor, not an employee, during the film production.
Before the scheduled trial, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement in early May, emphasizing the importance of addressing Lively’s concerns and maintaining workplaces free of improprieties.
The film “It Ends With Us,” based on Colleen Hoover’s novel about domestic violence, was released in August 2024, surpassing box office expectations despite facing criticism for its portrayal of abuse. However, the publicized legal battle between Lively and Baldoni overshadowed the film’s success and message.
Lively claimed in her lawsuit that Baldoni made inappropriate remarks about her appearance during filming, crossed physical boundaries in a love scene, and pressured for nudity against her wishes in a childbirth scene.
Baldoni refuted the allegations, stating that his actions were within the bounds of the normal creative process of filmmaking.
Lively’s notable past works include roles in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005) and the TV series “Gossip Girl” (2007-2012), alongside appearances in films like “The Town” and “The Shallows.” Baldoni is recognized for his roles in the TV series “Jane the Virgin,” directing “Five Feet Apart” (2019), and writing the book “Man Enough,” which challenges traditional masculinity norms.