Blake Lively will receive slightly over $400,000 of the $8 million she had requested in legal fees from actor and director Justin Baldoni following the resolution of their dispute over their 2024 film “It Ends With Us,” a federal judge declared on Wednesday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman, in a written ruling in Manhattan, detailed why Lively was not granted the full sum her legal team had claimed had been incurred after Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, lodged their own assertions in response to her lawsuit in December 2024.
Recognizing that Lively and Baldoni had engaged in a heated legal battle, the judge declined Lively the majority of the legal fees she had sought, referencing a California law aimed at safeguarding survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory legal actions.
Liman articulated that the law, designed to shield survivors of sexual abuse from lawsuits intended to intimidate and silence them, only warranted reimbursement for expenses related to 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.
Efforts to obtain 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 with Lively in the dark romantic drama, denied the allegations of harassment or orchestrating a smear campaign. He contended that Lively’s accusations were fabricated to gain control of the film.
Shortly after Lively filed her lawsuit, Baldoni and Wayfarer initiated a counterclaim against Lively and her spouse, Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and economic interference.
In June 2025, Liman dismissed the counterclaim filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer and nearly a year later rejected Lively’s claims of sexual harassment on the basis that she was an independent contractor, not an employee, during her involvement in the film.
In early May, just prior to a scheduled trial, Lively and Baldoni settled, affirming in a joint statement that Lively’s concerns warranted attention and expressing their unwavering commitment to fostering workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.
“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel depicting a relationship deteriorating into domestic violence, debuted in August 2024, surpassing box office projections despite criticism for glorifying abuse. The discord between Lively and Baldoni overshadowed the film’s message and success.
Lively contended in her lawsuit that Baldoni had made inappropriate remarks about her appearance, trespassed her physical boundaries during a love scene, and pushed for nudity against her wishes during a childbirth scene.
Baldoni refuted engaging in any behavior beyond the standard creative process of filmmaking.
Lively’s acting credits include the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and the TV series “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012, followed by roles in movies like “The Town” and “The Shallows.”
Baldoni starred in the TV show “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 film “Five Feet Apart,” and authored “Man Enough,” a book challenging conventional masculinity ideals.