Actor Justin Baldoni has formally challenged a request for over $8 million in legal fees submitted by his "It Ends With Us" co-star Blake Lively. In a filing on Monday, Baldoni's legal team argued that Lively's demand was "excessive" and asked a judge to reduce the amount.
According to the filing obtained by Page Six, Baldoni's attorneys stated that a "cursory review" of Lively's submission revealed "multiple lawyers at the same hearings, numerous charges for lawyers conferencing, conferring or strategizing with one another, and to put it mildly, extremely excessive research and online investigation." The filing characterized Lively's request as "anything but a typical fee motion."
Lively had previously sought $7,495,526.87 in attorneys' fees and an additional $539,514.01 in litigation costs and expenses in June. Baldoni's legal team described this total as a "whopping" sum that "should be denied in its entirety."
As a point of comparison, Baldoni's lawyers noted that The New York Times previously requested $181,622.70 in attorneys' fees for a motion to dismiss the same defamation claim. Baldoni himself had sued the publication for $250 million in 2024, a case that was subsequently dismissed, as was his $400 lawsuit against Lively.
The legal conflict between Baldoni and Lively originated in late 2024. The pair settled their dispute in May, avoiding a trial. While neither party received money in the settlement, Lively's subsequent attempt to recoup fees has prolonged the legal battle.
Baldoni recently broke his silence on the ongoing legal matters in an Instagram video shared with his wife, Emily Baldoni. He stated, "There have been so many painful things spoken into existence over the last couple years. Untruthful. And that created so much noise, and we didn’t want to add to the noise. So we just wanted to let the justice system run its course." Emily Baldoni added, "And the truth and facts have spoken for themselves."
Lively had previously addressed the situation during a press tour for her film "Another Simple Favor." In May 2025, she commented on "Late Night With Seth Meyers," saying, "This year has been full of the highest highs and lowest lows of my life." She also spoke about fear and the importance of women speaking out, adding that despite personal challenges, she must remain a strong presence for her children.