Blake Lively is set to receive a bit over $400,000 out of the $8 million she initially sought in legal fees from actor and director Justin Baldoni following the settlement of their dispute over their 2024 film “It Ends With Us,” as per a federal judge’s ruling on Wednesday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman, in a written decision in Manhattan, outlined why Lively was not granted the full amount her attorneys claimed was spent after Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, countered her December 2024 lawsuit with their claims.
Acknowledging the intense legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, the judge declined the majority of the legal fees requested by Lively, citing the constraints of a California law aimed at safeguarding survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory legal actions.
The judge explained that Lively could only be reimbursed for the expenses incurred in defending against defamation allegations, rather than all the claims made by Baldoni, under the law intended to shield sex abuse survivors.
Consequently, the judge ruled that Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206 in costs.
Requests for comments were sent to representatives of Baldoni and Lively.
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 starred in the film alongside Lively, refuted the accusations of harassment or orchestrating a smear campaign. He contended that the complaints against him were fabricated by Lively to gain control over the movie.
Shortly after Lively filed her lawsuit, Baldoni and Wayfarer counter-sued Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith, fair dealing, and economic interference.
In June 2025, Liman dismissed the counter-suit filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer and nearly a year later rejected Lively’s sexual harassment claims on the basis that she was an independent contractor, not an employee, during the film’s production.
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 reaffirming their commitment to harassment-free work environments.
“It Ends With Us,” a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel depicting a relationship descending into domestic violence, was released in August 2024. Despite criticisms for allegedly glorifying abuse, the film surpassed box office expectations. However, the publicized conflict between Lively and Baldoni overshadowed the film’s message and success.
Lively claimed in her lawsuit that during filming, Baldoni made inappropriate remarks about her appearance, violated personal boundaries during intimate scenes, and pushed for nudity against her wishes in a childbirth scene.
Baldoni refuted any wrongdoing beyond the normal 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), in addition to starring in films like “The Town” and “The Shallows.” On the other hand, Baldoni starred in the TV series “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 film “Five Feet Apart,” and authored “Man Enough,” a book challenging conventional notions of masculinity.