Blake Lively is set to receive a sum slightly over $400,000 out of the $8 million she initially claimed in legal fees from actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni following the resolution of their dispute over their 2024 movie “It Ends With Us,” as ruled by a federal judge on Wednesday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman elaborated in a written verdict in Manhattan on why Lively was not granted the full amount her legal team had requested after Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, countered her December 2024 lawsuit.
While acknowledging the intense legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, the judge declined the majority of the legal fees she had sought, citing the constraints of a California law aimed at safeguarding survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory legal actions.
The judge determined that Lively could only be reimbursed for expenses related to defending against defamation claims, rather than for all the claims put forth by Baldoni. Consequently, Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attorney fees and $44,206 in costs.
Requests for comments were forwarded to representatives of both Baldoni and Lively.
In her legal action, 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 the film and appeared alongside Lively, refuted accusations of harassment or orchestrating a smear campaign. He contended that the allegations against him were fabricated by Lively to seize creative control of the movie.
Following Lively’s lawsuit, Baldoni and Wayfarer filed a countersuit against Lively and her spouse, actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and economic interference. The countersuit was dismissed by Liman in June 2025, and nearly a year later, Lively’s sexual harassment claims were rejected on the grounds that she was an independent contractor during her work on the film.
Just before a scheduled trial in early May, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement, expressing in a joint statement that Lively’s concerns warranted attention, and they are committed to fostering work environments free from improprieties and unproductive atmospheres.
“It Ends With Us,” a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel depicting a relationship descending into domestic violence, was released in August 2024. Despite criticisms of glorifying abuse, the movie surpassed box office expectations. However, the discord between Lively and Baldoni drew attention away from the film, overshadowing its message and success.
Lively alleged in her lawsuit that during filming, Baldoni made inappropriate remarks about her appearance, breached physical boundaries during a love scene, and pressured for nudity against her wishes in a scene depicting her character giving birth.
Baldoni refuted claims of engaging in anything beyond the standard creative process of filmmaking.
Lively is known for her roles in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005) and the TV series “Gossip Girl” (2007-2012), followed by appearances in films such as “The Town” and “The Shallows.” Baldoni starred in the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 movie “Five Feet Apart,” and authored “Man Enough,” a book challenging conventional notions of masculinity.
