Blake Lively is seeking more than $8 million in legal fees and expenses from Justin Baldoni, stemming from their recent lawsuits related to the film "It Ends With Us." Lawyers for the actress claim that over a 10-month period, they incurred fees of approximately $7.5 million and expenses of over $500,000 while defending Lively against Baldoni's defamation lawsuit.
Baldoni initially sued Lively for $400 million, alleging defamation. This action followed Lively's December 2024 lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, for alleged sexual harassment and defamation on the set of the movie. All parties have denied the allegations.
In October 2025, a judge dismissed Baldoni's case. Subsequently, in May of this year, after most of Lively's claims were dismissed, she agreed to a settlement. While Lively did not receive any monetary compensation in the settlement, the judge permitted her to seek legal fees specifically related to Baldoni's lawsuit against her.
Lively's legal team, comprised of two firms, Wilkie, Farr & Gallagher and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, detailed the incurred costs. Michael Gottlieb, Lively's lead attorney, stated he charges $2,795 per hour but provided Lively with a discounted rate of $2,187 per hour. His billed hours amounted to $457,000.
Court filings assert that Baldoni's legal team employed "scorched-earth litigation tactics" that allegedly aimed to deplete Lively's resources, necessitating frequent court intervention to address their behavior. The filings include itemized charges, such as a $155.10 fee for a six-minute phone call and over $1,400 for an overnight stay at a five-star hotel. Other expenses include travel costs for attorneys and extensive research into case precedents and social media mentions, with one research entry costing $10,115.
Lively's initial lawsuit against Baldoni included allegations that he inserted unscripted kisses into a scene and that his producer entered her trailer while she was breastfeeding her newborn. Baldoni denied these claims, stating that his concern about Lively's weight was related to a scene where he had to lift her, potentially exacerbating a back injury.
The legal dispute and the film "It Ends With Us," in which Lively played a florist and Baldoni portrayed an abusive neurosurgeon, ultimately grossed $351 million worldwide. Rumors of a feud between the co-stars emerged during the film's release in the summer of 2024.