Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle lawsuit over 'It Ends With Us'

2026-05-05 07:47:00, Lifestyle CNA

Stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have settled a lawsuit that followed the filming of the 2024 film "It Ends With Us."

The agreement comes just two weeks before a scheduled trial, where both stars were expected to testify.

The legal battle in Hollywood began in 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, accusing him of harassment, sexual misconduct and a smear campaign on the set of their famous film.

He denied the allegations and filed a countersuit. The lawsuit revealed the private events of Hollywood's elite, including messages and emails from Lively, Baldoni and a host of their famous friends.

Lawyers for the two actors released a statement Monday to announce the agreement, saying their film "is a source of pride for all of us who worked to bring it to life."

"Raising awareness and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors - and all survivors - is a goal we support."

"We acknowledge that the process presented challenges and acknowledge that the concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard," the statement continued. "We remain strongly committed to workplaces free of inequity and unproductive environments."

The statement concluded by saying that both actors "hope this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and peacefully."

The case stems from interactions between Baldoni and Lively on the set of the film, an adaptation of a bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover. It stars Lively as the title character, Lily Bloom, a young woman who grew up witnessing domestic violence and finds herself in the same situation years later.

Lively's legal team accused Baldoni and his film studio, Wayfarer, of plotting to destroy her reputation, including using social media manipulation and friendly journalists to plant certain narratives.

Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, alleging that he sexually harassed her on set and retaliated against her for raising these complaints, among other things.

The settlement announcement comes about a month after a judge dismissed 10 of the 13 charges in Lively's case, including harassment and defamation.

That left three claims in place - breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting retaliation - with a civil trial in New York scheduled for May 18.

Baldoni's counterclaim was also dismissed by the same judge.

Shortly after Lively's lawsuit was filed, Baldoni filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, claiming they intended to destroy his career and reputation with these allegations. He also sued the New York Times for publishing Lively's allegations.

He claimed that Lively "stole the movie" from him and Wayfarer by threatening not to promote it, and that she and others perpetuated a false narrative that Baldoni had harassed her and launched a smear campaign against her.

But in June, the judge dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit, saying his team "had not sufficiently alleged that Lively's threats were wrongful extortion and not legally permissible difficult negotiations or renegotiations of working conditions."

Evidence in the legal battle has included messages between Lively and music icon Taylor Swift regarding Baldoni.

Following the judge's decision to dismiss most of her case last month, Lively's lawyer suggested a settlement may be imminent, but also said her client was looking forward to testifying during the trial.

Attorney Sigrid McCawley said at the time that Lively had exposed the "slander machine" in Hollywood.

"For Blake Lively, the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the script behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are now being held accountable by the other women they targeted," she said.

Lively also posted on Instagram about the judge's action, writing, "The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, but I brought this case because of the widespread RETALIATION I faced, and continue to face, because I privately and professionally sought a safe work environment for myself and others," she wrote.

"I hope the Court's decision shows others that, no matter how painful it is, you can speak out."/ CNA, translated by BBC