Justin Baldoni has broken a two-year silence regarding his legal battle with actress Blake Lively, publishing an Instagram video with his wife Emily that addresses their dispute and is being framed as a criticism of Lively's stance.
The couple's video, released on Wednesday, comes after Lively sought approximately $8 million in legal fees incurred during her defense against Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit. In the video, the Baldonis discuss the "injustice and the pain" they have experienced over the past few years, with Emily Baldoni stating, "We've had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand things like how could something like this even happen. Let alone disguise as a fight for women."
Following the video's release, Gina Rodriguez, who starred alongside Baldoni in "Jane the Virgin," expressed her support in the comments section, writing, "love you friends. Por vida."
Baldoni explained that he and his wife had remained silent for two years because it "didn't feel like the right time" to speak, adding that they wanted to let the justice system run its course and avoid adding to the "noise."
"The truth, and the facts, have spoken for themselves," Emily Baldoni declared in the video. Justin Baldoni noted that they are "healing" and thanked friends, family, and fans for their support, stating, "we're here in large part because of so many of you and all of our friends and family."
The legal dispute originated when Lively sued Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios in December 2024 for alleged defamation and sexual harassment on the set of their film "It Ends With Us." Baldoni subsequently filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times.
In October 2025, a judge dismissed Baldoni's case. In May of the following year, after most of Lively's claims were dismissed, she agreed to a settlement. While Lively did not receive any monetary compensation, the judge allowed her to seek legal fees related to Baldoni's dismissed case against her. Court filings indicated her lawyers sought over $7.4 million in legal fees and more than $500,000 in expenses.
"It Ends With Us," in which Lively played a florist and Baldoni portrayed an abusive neurosurgeon, grossed $351 million at the worldwide box office. The film's release was accompanied by rumors of a feud between the co-stars on set, with Lively alleging Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her weight and inserted unscripted kisses, while also claiming a producer walked into her trailer while she was breastfeeding. Baldoni denied these allegations.
In a separate context, the Baldonis' video statement emerged as Lively and Reynolds were reportedly not invited to Taylor Swift's July 3 wedding celebration, while they were attending their daughter's horse show.