Key facts
- Blake Lively was awarded $407,451 in legal fees and costs.
- The award is a fraction of the $8.04 million Lively sought from Justin Baldoni.
- The ruling stems from a defamation lawsuit filed by Baldoni against Lively, which was dismissed.
- Judge Lewis Liman limited the award to fees for defending against defamation claims.
- Lively had previously sued Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation, with those claims dismissed.
- The award was made under a 2023 California law protecting sexual harassment accusers from retaliatory defamation suits.
A federal judge has awarded Blake Lively $407,451 to cover legal fees and costs after she successfully defended against a defamation lawsuit filed by fellow actor Justin Baldoni. The payment, authorized by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, represents approximately 5% of the $8.04 million Lively had sought.
Judge Liman stated that while the case was complex and well-litigated, Lively sought reimbursement for an unreasonable number of hours and did not sufficiently explain the work performed. The award was primarily limited to defending against the defamation claim, excluding costs for media relations and a motion for sanctions.
Baldoni had sued Lively for defamation, following Lively's own lawsuit against him and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in connection with their film "It Ends With Us." Lively's harassment claims were dismissed, but she was permitted to sue Wayfarer for retaliation. The judge allowed Lively to seek expenses under a 2023 California law protecting sexual harassment accusers from retaliatory defamation suits.
Both parties agreed in advance not to appeal the judge's decision on legal fees.