A federal judge has awarded actress Blake Lively just over $400,000 in legal fees out of the $8 million she had sought from actor and director Justin Baldoni. The decision, issued Wednesday by Judge Lewis J. Liman in Manhattan, resolves a dispute over production costs for their 2024 film “It Ends With Us.”
Lively had initially filed a lawsuit in December 2024, asserting claims including sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy. Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, responded by filing their own claims.
Judge Liman explained in his written decision that Lively was not entitled to the full amount requested due to the limitations of a California law. This law is designed to protect individuals who are survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits. The judge determined that the law, intended to shield sex abuse survivors from intimidating legal actions, should primarily cover reimbursements for defending against defamation claims, rather than all claims Baldoni made against Lively.
Consequently, the judge ruled that Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206 in costs. Representatives for both Baldoni and Lively were contacted for comment.
Baldoni, who directed and starred in the film alongside Lively, denied the allegations of harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign. He contended that Lively's complaints were fabricated as an attempt to gain creative control over the film.
Following Lively’s lawsuit, Baldoni and Wayfarer filed a countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Their claims included civil extortion, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and economic interference.
In June 2025, Judge Liman dismissed the countersuit filed by Baldoni and Wayfarer. Nearly a year later, he rejected Lively’s sexual harassment claims, ruling that she was an independent contractor and not an employee during her work on the film.
In early May, two weeks before a scheduled trial, Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement. In a joint statement, they acknowledged that Lively’s concerns “deserved to be heard” and affirmed their commitment to maintaining workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.
"It Ends With Us," an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel about domestic violence, was released in August 2024 and performed well at the box office, despite criticism that it potentially glorified abuse. The legal conflict between Lively and Baldoni drew significant attention, overshadowing the film's message and commercial success.
Lively's lawsuit detailed allegations that during filming, Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her appearance, violated physical boundaries during a love scene, and pushed for nudity in a scene where her character was giving birth, against Lively’s wishes. Baldoni maintained that his actions were within the normal scope of the movie-making creative process.