Justin Baldoni loses another legal battle against Blake Lively: must pay $400,000

Actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni has been ordered to pay $400,000 to his "It Ends with Us" co-star Blake Lively to cover her legal expenses in their dispute. The settlement resolves a legal battle that included allegations of inappropriate behavior and defamation, which the pair agreed to settle out of court.

Judge Lewis Leman determined the amount Baldoni must pay Lively for attorneys' fees and other legal costs. While Lively had sought nearly $8 million, the judge awarded a substantially lower figure, citing that the actress did not adequately justify all the expenses she claimed. The judge deemed Lively entitled to a "reasonable" reimbursement.

Baldoni's defense team viewed the decision as a "victory," noting that the awarded sum represents only about 5% of Lively's initial claim. Lively's defense also claimed success, stating the outcome provided "real consequences for retaliatory claims."

Lively, 38, filed a complaint against Baldoni in 2024, accusing him of inappropriate conduct during the filming of the movie he directed and of conducting a smear campaign against her. The judge dismissed most of Lively's accusations, including claims of harassment, defamation, and conspiracy, in April. A settlement agreement signed in May to avoid a trial resolved the remaining claims of breach of contract and retaliation.

Both actors waived their right to appeal the closed case and agreed not to appeal the judge's decision on the reimbursement of legal expenses. Baldoni, 42, had previously filed a $400 million counterclaim against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation and extortion, which was dismissed in June. He also had a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times dismissed.