Justin Baldoni Says He Feels Relief After Legal Battle With Blake Lively Ends

Justin Baldoni’s lawyer says the actor and director is relieved after his legal dispute with Blake Lively came to an end.

Attorney Bryan Freedman spoke about the case on TMZ Live, calling the outcome “a huge victory” for Baldoni. Freedman said Baldoni feels he can “breathe again” after facing public accusations during the long-running conflict tied to the film It Ends With Us.

Representatives for Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios and for Lively recently announced they had reached a settlement before the case went to trial. In a joint statement, both sides said they remain committed to professional workplaces and hope the resolution allows everyone involved to move forward peacefully.

The dispute began during promotion of the 2024 film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel It Ends With Us. Fans noticed that Baldoni and Lively rarely appeared together while promoting the movie, leading to speculation about tension between the two stars.

In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior on set. She also claimed he worked with a crisis public relations team to damage her reputation before the movie’s release.

Baldoni denied the allegations. His lawyer called the claims false and harmful.

Lively later filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York. In response, Baldoni sued Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, for $400 million, accusing them of defamation and other claims. A judge dismissed Baldoni’s lawsuit in June 2025.

The case was expected to go to trial this year, but several of Lively’s claims were dismissed by Judge Lewis Liman before that could happen. According to Freedman, those rulings were an important win for Baldoni.

Freedman said the accusations had deeply affected his client. He described Baldoni as someone who strongly supports women and said the public allegations were emotionally difficult for him.

Despite the controversy, It Ends With Us performed very well at the box office. The movie earned about $351 million worldwide against a reported $25 million budget.

The film’s success has led to questions about a possible sequel based on Hoover’s follow-up novel, It Starts With Us. However, no sequel has been officially announced.