What Happened to Blake Lively Justin Baldoni Lawsuit?

The legal dispute between Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni emerged from the contentious production of their 2024 film, "It Ends With Us." Lively, who also served as a producer, initiated legal action in December 2024, filing a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department and a federal lawsuit in New York. Her allegations included sexual harassment, the creation of a hostile work environment, and a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni and his associates in response to her complaints. Lively detailed instances of alleged inappropriate behavior by Baldoni on set, including unwanted physical contact and comments about her body.

Baldoni vehemently denied these accusations, asserting that the disputes were rooted in creative disagreements rather than misconduct. In January 2025, he escalated the conflict by filing a $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane, accusing them of extortion and defamation. Baldoni also filed a separate $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times for an article detailing the alleged smear campaign. He claimed Lively fabricated allegations to gain creative control over the film and that any negative press she received was due to her own behavior.

A significant turning point occurred in June 2025 when a federal judge dismissed Baldoni's $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively and her co-defendants. Further, in April 2026, the judge dismissed the majority of Lively's claims, including her sexual harassment allegations, ruling that she was an independent contractor rather than an employee, thus not entitled to bring sexual harassment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, two retaliation claims remained intact, setting the stage for a trial.

To avoid a public trial, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement in May 2026, resolving Lively's remaining claims. While the specific terms of the settlement were not disclosed, it preserved Lively's right to seek legal fees under California Civil Code Section 47.1, a law designed to protect individuals who report harassment from retaliatory defamation lawsuits. On June 12, 2026, Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Lively was indeed entitled to recover attorneys' fees and costs incurred while defending against Baldoni's dismissed defamation lawsuit. However, her request for punitive and treble damages was denied.

As of June 30, 2026, the final chapter of the legal saga revolves around the amount of legal fees Baldoni must pay. Lively's legal team formally requested $8,035,040.88, comprising approximately $7.5 million in attorneys' fees and over $539,000 in litigation expenses. Baldoni's legal team has opposed this request, arguing the amount is excessive and that Lively's victory was limited. Judge Liman has ordered Baldoni to file his response by July 13, 2026, after which the court will determine the final award.