Blake Lively is set to receive a little over $400,000 out of the $8 million she initially sought in legal fees from actor and director Justin Baldoni following the resolution of their dispute over their 2024 film, “It Ends With Us,” as per a federal judge’s decision on Wednesday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman outlined in a written ruling in Manhattan the reasons why Lively was not granted the full amount requested by her legal team after Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, responded to her lawsuit from December 2024.
Although acknowledging the intense legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, the judge declined the majority of the legal fees sought by Lively, citing the constraints of a California law aimed at safeguarding survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory legal actions.
The judge clarified that under the law intended to protect survivors of sexual abuse from intimidation tactics, Lively could only seek reimbursement for expenses related to defending against defamation claims rather than all claims brought forth by Baldoni.
Consequently, the judge ruled that Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206 in costs.
Requests for comments from Baldoni and Lively’s representatives were sent.
Lively had alleged various misconduct, including sexual harassment, during the production of the film. Baldoni, who directed and acted in the movie alongside Lively, denied the allegations of harassment and claimed that Lively fabricated the complaints to gain control over the film’s creative direction.
In a countersuit filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, claims of civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith, and economic interference were made. However, the countersuit was dismissed by Liman in June 2025, and Lively’s sexual harassment claims were rejected almost a year later on the basis that she was considered an independent contractor, not an employee, during the film’s production.
Prior to a scheduled trial, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement in early May, expressing their commitment to fostering work environments free from misconduct.
The film, “It Ends With Us,” based on a popular novel by Colleen Hoover, was released in August 2024 and surpassed box office projections despite facing criticism for its portrayal of abuse. The discord between Lively and Baldoni overshadowed the film’s success and message.
Lively claimed in her lawsuit that Baldoni made inappropriate remarks about her, crossed boundaries during filming, and pressured her for nudity against her wishes, particularly during a childbirth scene.
Baldoni refuted any allegations of misconduct, stating that his actions were within the scope of the normal filmmaking process.
Lively is known for her roles in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005) and the TV series “Gossip Girl” (2007-2012), while Baldoni has appeared in “Jane the Virgin” and directed “Five Feet Apart” (2019) as well as authored “Man Enough,” a book challenging traditional views of masculinity.
