Legal Rulings in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Dispute Over ‘It Ends With Us’

A New York judge has ruled that actor Blake Lively can recover some legal fees from actor and director Justin Baldoni. This follows their legal dispute concerning the 2024 film It Ends With Us. However, Judge Lewis J. Liman stated that Lively will not receive punitive damages or other relief she sought after settling her claims against Baldoni.

Judge Liman’s decision allows Lively to recover legal fees related to her defense against Baldoni’s countersuit, which he filed after her initial lawsuit in December 2024. The ruling cites a California law aimed at shielding survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits intended to intimidate victims.

The law mandates that if a defamation claim in response to a lawsuit is dismissed, the plaintiff is required to pay the defendant’s legal costs. This applies regardless of whether evidence has been collected in the case.

The judge noted an exception could exist if Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, proved malice in Lively’s claims. However, no such evidence was presented.

Baldoni and Lively settled the majority of their legal battle last month, shortly before trial, over Lively’s retaliation claims. She did not receive any financial compensation from the settlement, but was allowed to pursue legal fees. Both parties viewed Liman’s ruling as a victory.

Attorneys Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, representing Lively, said the fee award indicates she acted in good faith, without malice, making her the prevailing defendant. On the other hand, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, stressed that Lively’s demands for $300 million in fees and damages were unmet, with most of her claims dismissed before a settlement was reached.

Freedman remarked:
“Once again, she failed,” pointing out that Lively was now entitled to minimal attorney fees for a specific portion of the litigation that lasted only a few months.

In response, Freedman stated that his clients were threatened by Lively, who aimed to damage their reputations.
“Throughout this process, innocent people suffered from tarnished reputations. No harassment or retaliation occurred, as confirmed by the court,” he added.

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, also targeting his production company, in late 2024. Baldoni denied these allegations, asserting they were fabricated by Lively in a bid to gain creative control of the film. He responded with a countersuit accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion.

Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit last year and recently discarded Lively’s harassment claims, citing her status as an independent contractor on the project, not an employee.

The film It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel about a troubled relationship, released in August 2024, exceeded box office expectations. Blake Lively is known for her roles in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the series Gossip Girl, and films like The Town and The Shallows. Justin Baldoni starred in Jane the Virgin, directed Five Feet Apart, and authored Man Enough, discussing masculinity.