Blake Lively is set to receive more than $400,000 in legal fees out of the $8 million she originally sought from actor and director Justin Baldoni following their settlement over their 2024 film “It Ends With Us,” as ruled by a federal judge on Wednesday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman, in Manhattan, detailed in a written decision the reasons why Lively was not granted the full sum requested by her legal team after Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, responded to her lawsuit from December 2024.
Despite acknowledging the intense legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, the judge reduced the amount of legal fees she could claim, citing a California law aimed at safeguarding survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory legal actions.
The judge clarified that Lively could only be reimbursed for expenses related to defending against defamation claims rather than all the claims made by Baldoni. Consequently, Lively is entitled to $363,245 for attorneys’ fees and $44,206 for costs.
Both Baldoni and Lively’s representatives have been approached for comments.
Lively had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy in her lawsuit. However, Baldoni, who directed and starred alongside Lively in the film, denied the harassment allegations, attributing them to Lively’s attempt to gain creative control over the project.
Following Lively’s lawsuit, Baldoni and Wayfarer filed a countersuit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith, fair dealing, and economic interference. The countersuit was dismissed by Liman in June 2025, and later, Lively’s sexual harassment claims were rejected based on her classification as an independent contractor during the film production.
Prior to the scheduled trial in early May, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement, emphasizing their commitment to fostering workplaces free of misconduct and unproductive environments.
The film “It Ends With Us,” based on a bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, was released in August 2024 and performed well at the box office, despite facing criticism for its portrayal of abuse. The legal disputes between Lively and Baldoni diverted attention from the film’s message and success.
Lively alleged that Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her appearance, breached physical boundaries during filming, and pressured her for nudity against her wishes. Baldoni refuted these claims, stating that his actions were part of 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), as well as films like “The Town” and “The Shallows.” On the other hand, Baldoni starred in the TV show “Jane the Virgin,” directed “Five Feet Apart” (2019), and authored “Man Enough,” challenging traditional masculinity norms.