Key facts
- Blake Lively was awarded some legal fees in her dispute with Justin Baldoni.
- The ruling stems from claims related to the film 'It Ends With Us'.
- Judge Lewis J. Liman cited a California law protecting against retaliatory lawsuits.
- Lively's requests for punitive damages and treble damages were denied.
- The settlement allowed Lively to pursue legal fees, though she received no financial compensation from the settlement itself.
A federal judge has awarded actress Blake Lively some legal fees in her dispute with actor and director Justin Baldoni, following a settlement over claims related to the 2024 film "It Ends With Us." U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Lively can recover legal costs associated with defending against a defamation countersuit filed by Baldoni, though he denied her requests for additional damages.
Liman cited a 2023 California law designed to protect individuals from retaliatory lawsuits intended to intimidate or silence victims of sexual harassment or discrimination. The judge noted that Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, provided insufficient evidence to prove Lively acted with malice when she filed her initial lawsuit, which had accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation. However, the judge rejected Lively's requests for punitive and treble damages, stating they did not fit within federal procedural rules.
Baldoni had denied Lively's claims and countersued, accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion. Liman had previously dismissed Baldoni's countersuit and Lively's sexual harassment claims, ruling she was an independent contractor. The bulk of the dispute was settled last month, with Lively receiving no financial compensation from that settlement but being permitted to pursue legal fees. Both parties have agreed not to appeal the recent decision.