Blake Lively Refiles Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni Over Legal Costs Post-Settlement

A legal battle between Hollywood stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, stemming from the set of their film "It Ends With Us," has taken a new turn. Despite a recent settlement announced last month, Lively has filed a new lawsuit seeking legal fees and damages.

Lively's legal team argues that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, initiated a defamation lawsuit against her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, which constitutes a "retaliatory act" explicitly forbidden under California law. They are demanding that Baldoni cover their court expenses.

Baldoni's attorneys have dismissed these claims as baseless. The original dispute began when Lively filed a complaint in December, alleging that Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her sex life on set and attempted to force the inclusion of sexually explicit scenes not present in the script. She also accused him of orchestrating a smear campaign against her reputation.

In response, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios filed a $400 million counterclaim for alleged blackmail and defamation. However, a court dismissed these claims last year. The recent settlement involved both parties dropping their accusations, with no monetary compensation exchanged and Lively's harassment claims being dropped. Despite the settlement, the legal costs and attorney fees remain a point of contention, with both sides having previously claimed victory.