Tag: blake-lively-news

Actor Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily Baldoni, have spoken publicly for the first time following the conclusion of a lengthy legal dispute involving Baldoni’s It Ends With Us co-star, Blake Lively.

In a nearly five-minute video shared on Instagram this week, the couple reflected on the emotional toll the legal battle had taken on their family, describing the past two years as deeply painful.

“There have been so many painful things that have been spoken into existence over the last couple years,” Justin Baldoni said.

The legal dispute stemmed from events surrounding the 2024 film It Ends With Us. Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment on set and claiming he orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign against her.

Baldoni denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million (£298.5 million) counterclaim against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion.

Couple Reflects on Difficult Two Years

During the video, Baldoni explained that he and his wife had intentionally remained silent throughout the legal proceedings despite having much they wanted to say.

“We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say,” he said. “Because Lord knows we have.”

Emily Baldoni said the ordeal had been particularly difficult for their family.

“There has been a lot of trauma for us to move through as a family, which also makes it hard to speak,” she said.

She added that the conclusion of the case gave them an opportunity to finally address the public.

“The truth and the facts have spoken for themselves and here we are,” she said.

Emily also questioned how the situation had escalated to such an extent.

“We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand so many things, like how could something like this even happen? Let alone disguised as a fight for women.”

Legal Battle Ends Ahead of Trial

The case concluded in May 2026 when Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement on the remaining claims just weeks before a civil trial in New York was scheduled to begin.

Earlier, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 claims brought by Lively, ruling that she could not pursue several allegations, including sexual harassment, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because she was an independent contractor rather than an employee. The judge also dismissed Baldoni’s counter-lawsuit in its entirety.

The parties later settled the outstanding allegations, including claims relating to retaliation and breach of contract.

Following the settlement, Lively said filing the lawsuit had been “the last thing” she wanted to do.

“But I brought this case because of the pervasive RETALIATION I faced, and continue to, for privately and professionally asking for a safe working environment for myself and others,” she said.

‘We Feel So Loved’

In their latest video, the Baldonis expressed appreciation for the support they received throughout the legal proceedings.

“We can genuinely say that we are sitting here today feeling immense gratitude for so many things and so many people,” Emily Baldoni said.

Justin Baldoni added that the family is now focused on healing after the prolonged legal battle.

“We feel so loved,” he said.

Attorneys representing Hollywood actress Blake Lively returned to a New York court on Monday seeking legal fees and damages from actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni, despite the two parties reaching an out-of-court settlement last month in their long-running legal dispute.

Lively’s legal team argued that the defamation lawsuit filed against her by Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, amounted to retaliation and was therefore prohibited under California law.

However, attorneys representing Baldoni rejected the allegations, maintaining that the claims were legitimate.

The exact amount Lively is seeking in legal fees and damages has not been publicly disclosed.

The dispute began in December 2024 when Lively filed a complaint accusing Baldoni, who starred in and directed the film It Ends with Us, of making inappropriate comments about his sex life and attempting to introduce intimate scenes that were not included in the original script.

The actress, who rose to prominence through the hit television series Gossip Girl, also alleged that Baldoni orchestrated a coordinated public relations and social media campaign designed to damage her reputation.

In response, Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios filed counterclaims against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion. However, those claims were later dismissed by the court.

Wayfarer Studios has consistently denied retaliating against Lively, maintaining that neither the company, its executives nor its public relations team engaged in any wrongdoing.

The federal judge overseeing the matter, Lewis Liman, dismissed some of Lively’s allegations but allowed her retaliation claims to proceed.

Although both sides reached a settlement last month, the full terms of the agreement have not been made public.

Based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us became one of the biggest box-office successes of 2024, earning more than $350 million worldwide.