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Blake Lively went on the offensive after settling her lawsuit with “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni, asking a federal judge to award her tens of millions of dollars.
In a new legal filing, obtained by Fox News Digital, Lively’s legal team said Baldoni’s $400 million defamation suit was not only unfounded but vindictive. The 38-year-old actor accused Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and others of filing the lawsuit to punish him for speaking out about alleged sexual harassment and misconduct.
Lively is seeking a hefty financial settlement that includes attorneys’ fees, three counts of damages for alleged injuries and punitive damages aimed at punishing what her lawyers described as an abuse of the legal system. The move marked a dramatic escalation in an already heated legal battle, shifting the focus to restitution as Lively tries to hold her rivals accountable financially.
“This settlement is a tremendous victory for Blake Lively,” Lively’s representatives told Fox News Digital. “By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and each of the defendants are now charged with abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively.”
BLAKE LIVE AND JUSTIN BALDONI REACH FORGIVENESS ‘ONLY THROUGH US’
Blake Lively sought millions of dollars after settling her lawsuit with Justin Baldoni. (Photos by XNY/Star Max/GC)
“And by conceding that Ms. Lively’s concerns ‘should be heard,’ the defendants have completely dispelled the fiction that Ms. Lively ‘made up’ the allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation,” the statement continued. “From day one, Blake Lively’s mission was clear: to expose and punish those who weaponize smear campaigns and retaliatory lawsuits to intimidate and silence survivors. This campaign continues.”
A spokesman for Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer’s teams dismissed Lively’s claims, casting the outcome of the broader case as a decisive win for their side and downplaying the importance of his latest plea.
“Let’s be clear, this is a victory and a complete victory for the Wayfarer factions,” Bryan Freedman told Fox News Digital. “The court had already dismissed 10 of Ms. Lively’s 13 claims, including all sexual harassment claims, all defamation claims, and all claims against each defendant. Ms. Lively voluntarily dismissed the rest. In our view, they settled because they knew they would lose in court. All that remains is the pending court claim with 20 fees.”
JUSTIN BALDONI’S $400M BLAKE LAWSUIT BROADLY DISMISSED
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have announced that they have settled their legal dispute surrounding the production of “It Ends With Us.” (Getty Images)
Lively and Baldoni announced they had settled their nearly two-year legal dispute in a joint statement Monday. I “Only About Us” They will face each other in court on May 18.
Baldoni and Lively began their legal back-and-forth after filming the Colleen Hoover adaptation, “It Ends With Us.” The “Gossip Girl” actress claimed she was sexually assaulted on set and sued Baldoni in December 2024.
Detailed allegations of sexual harassmentretaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and more against Baldoni and filmmaker Jamey Heath in the first complaint filed with the California Department of Human Rights and later in federal court.
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Blake Lively filed for compensation on May 7. (Photos by StewartofNY/GC)
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At the time, Baldoni insisted that Lively had “falsely accused” him in an attempt to repair his reputation following the fallout from the film’s press tour in his $400 million defamation lawsuit. The actor’s claims were later dismissed by a judge in June 2025.
After a year-and-a-half court battle, a federal judge agreed Lively’s revenge claims moving forward in a high-profile Hollywood lawsuit that highlights what he says is a coordinated effort by powerful insiders to manipulate public opinion and destroy an actor’s reputation.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively filmed “It Ends With Us” in 2024. (Photos by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC)
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However, Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed most of Lively’s allegations against Baldoni, including allegations of sexual harassment and defamation. The judge’s ruling narrowed the case down to focus solely on the actor’s retaliation and breach of contract claims just weeks before the trial was set to begin.
Lively and Baldoni’s notice of settlement, filed on Thursday, indicated that the two had reached a final settlement – and ensured that the same allegations would not be brought back to court again.
