In a recent ruling, a New York judge decided that Blake Lively can recover some legal fees from actor and director Justin Baldoni, following a legal battle over their 2024 film, It Ends With Us. However, the judge denied her claims for punitive damages and other requests.
Judge Lewis J. Liman stated that Lively has the right to recover legal costs related to defending against a countersuit Baldoni filed after Lively sued him in December 2024. The judge referred to a California law that protects survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits. According to this law, if a defamation claim in response to a lawsuit is dismissed, the plaintiff must pay the defendant’s legal fees, regardless of the evidence presented.
The judge explained that an exception would apply if Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, could prove malice in Lively’s claims. However, they provided no evidence of malice. Liman rejected her claims for triple damages and punitive damages under the California law, citing federal procedural rules meant to guard party rights.
Lively and Baldoni previously settled most of their legal dispute last month just before a trial on Lively’s retaliation claims. Though she received no financial compensation, she could pursue legal costs. Both legal teams regarded Liman’s decision as a success.
Attorneys Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, representing Lively, stated that the ruling highlighted her good faith in bringing the claims, with no evidence pointing to malice. In contrast, Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, maintained that Lively failed to secure $300 million in fees and damages, with ten out of her thirteen claims dismissed before settlement.
Freedman argued that his clients were threatened by a prominent movie star trying to tarnish their reputations. He asserted that the process involved no harassment or retaliation, a conclusion supported by the court.
Lively’s original lawsuit accused Baldoni and his company of sexual harassment and retaliation. She claimed that Baldoni attempted to damage her public image. Baldoni denied these accusations, countering that Lively fabricated these allegations to gain creative control of the film. He countersued, alleging defamation by Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.
Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit the previous year and also rejected Lively’s harassment claims, as she was considered an independent contractor rather than an employee on the film set.
It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel about an abusive relationship, performed well at the box office following its August 2024 release. Lively is known for roles in films such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and the series Gossip Girl. Baldoni’s credits include Jane the Virgin and as director of Five Feet Apart.