Judge grants Blake Lively $400,000 of $8M in legal fees she sought in film fight with Justin Baldoni
Summary
A federal judge decided that actress Blake Lively will receive about $400,000 in legal fees from director Justin Baldoni, much less than the $8 million she asked for. The judge limited the award based on a California law designed to protect survivors of sexual harassment from certain legal costs. Lively and Baldoni had settled their dispute over the 2024 film "It Ends With Us" shortly before the ruling.Key Facts
- Blake Lively sought $8 million in legal fees from Justin Baldoni after legal battles related to their film "It Ends With Us."
- A federal judge awarded her $363,245 for attorney fees and $44,206 for legal costs, much less than requested.
- The judge limited the award due to a California law protecting survivors of sexual harassment from retaliatory lawsuits.
- Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, and emotional distress in her 2024 lawsuit.
- Baldoni denied the harassment claims and countersued Lively and her husband for defamation and other charges, which were later dismissed.
- The judge ruled Lively’s harassment claims invalid because she was an independent contractor, not an employee, during filming.
- Lively and Baldoni settled the case in May 2025, emphasizing a commitment to respectful workplace environments.
- The film "It Ends With Us," based on a 2016 novel about domestic violence, was released in August 2024 and performed well financially despite controversy.
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