Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Settle It Ends With Us Legal Battle

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have reached a settlement, bringing their It Ends With Us legal feud to an end. The dispute, which began during the 2024 press tour for It Ends With Us, resulted in multiple lawsuits before the parties reached a settlement in early May 2025.

The 2024 Press Tour and Public Fracture

Speculation of a rift first surfaced in the summer of 2024. During the It Ends With Us press tour, fans noted that Baldoni, who directed and starred in the film, rarely interacted with Lively. While Lively conducted events with costars Brandon Sklenar and Isabela Ferrer, Baldoni largely worked solo.

The tension became visible at the August 2024 New York premiere. Baldoni told Entertainment Tonight on the carpet that the night belonged to the women and the author, Colleen Hoover, rather than himself. On social media, users on the r/ColleenHoover subreddit pointed out that Lively, Hoover, and several other cast members did not follow Baldoni on Instagram.

Baldoni focused on the domestic abuse themes of the plot. Lively, according to critics and social media users, emphasized the romantic and lighthearted elements. This contrast led to public backlash against Lively, which was intensified when journalist Kjersti Flaa released a 2016 archival clip of Lively making an off-color remark to a reporter.

Escalation to Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Claims

The feud shifted from social media speculation to the courtroom on December 20, 2024. Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni. She accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, inflicting “emotional distress,” and conspiring to damage her public reputation.

Lively’s complaint detailed several specific incidents:

• Baldoni allegedly showed her nude videos and images of women.
• He was accused of improvising kissing and intimate scenes.
• Lively alleged Baldoni entered her trailer while she was naked.

Lively further claimed that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath hired crisis PR representatives, including Melissa Nathan and Jed Wallace, to orchestrate a "multi-tiered" plan to "destroy" her public reputation. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, dismissed these claims as "categorically false" and a "desperate attempt" to fix Lively's negative reputation.

The $400 Million Counter-Suit and Legal Collapse

This suit sought $400 million in damages.

In June 2025, a judge threw out Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit. In November 2025, the judge formally ended the suit after the deadline for Baldoni to file an amended complaint had passed.

Unsealed Evidence and the Settlement

Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni was headed to a May 18 trial, though a judge dismissed 10 of her 13 claims. The two sides reached a settlement in early May 2025, just weeks before trial.

The resolution of this feud marks the end of the legal battle. For Justin Baldoni, the aftermath included the loss of his talent agency representation and the rescinding of the Voices of Solidarity Award by the nonprofit Vital Voices.

Timeline of Key Events