Blake Lively Awarded Legal Fees in Dispute With Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively can recover some legal expenses from Justin Baldoni, though not punitive damages or other relief she initially sought. The ruling follows the resolution of their legal battle over the 2024 film “It Ends With Us.”

Judge Lewis J. Liman’s written decision allows Lively to retrieve legal fees and costs stemming from her defense against a countersuit by Baldoni. He sued her after she initiated legal action against him in December 2024. Liman referenced a California law intended to protect victims of sexual harassment and discrimination from intimidation through retaliatory lawsuits.

The law mandates that if a defamation claim gets dismissed, the plaintiff must pay the defendant’s legal fees and costs. This applies even prior to case fact-finding through evidence gathering. An exception to this rule would occur if Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, could demonstrate malice in Lively’s claims. However, Liman found no evidence of such malice.

The judge dismissed her demands to triple any damages and obtain punitive damages under the California statute. He stated these requests did not align with “carefully crafted federal procedural rules protecting parties’ rights.”

Most of the dispute between Lively and Baldoni was settled last month, right before the trial on Lively’s retaliation claims was set to begin. Lively did not receive money from the settlement, but pursued legal fees. Both parties viewed Liman’s ruling as a triumph.

Lively’s lawyers, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, emphasized the legal fee award shows her claims were made in good faith. They also noted the absence of evidence supporting malice claims and highlighted her status as a prevailing defendant. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, acknowledged Lively’s inability to secure her $300 million demand in fees and damages. Most of her claims were dismissed before reaching a settlement, and Freedman asserted she sought damages by exploiting a California law.

Lively attempted to disrupt the professional lives of Baldoni and his associates, Freedman stated, as part of her strategy that Freedman described as a failure.

Baldoni’s camp expressed relief at maintaining their reputations, denying any sexual harassment, retaliation, or smear campaign. Freedman claimed that innocent reputations were unfairly damaged during the process.

Lively had accused Baldoni and his production company of sexual harassment and retaliation in late 2024, alleging efforts to harm her public image and credibility. Baldoni, involved in directing and starring in the film alongside Lively, refuted these accusations. He asserted that Lively fabricated the complaints to gain creative control of the movie. In response, Baldoni countersued, accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion. Liman dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit last year and recently rejected Lively’s sexual harassment claims as she was an independent contractor, not an employee on set.

“It Ends With Us,” the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel about a deteriorating domestic relationship, exceeded box office expectations after its August 2024 release.

Lively, known for films like “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “The Town,” as well as the TV series “Gossip Girl,” accused Baldoni, who starred in “Jane the Virgin” and directed “Five Feet Apart,” of baseless claims to challenge traditional views of masculinity.