Actor-director Justin Baldoni and actress Blake Lively’s legal battle over It Ends With Us recently reached a settlement, bringing one of the most high-profile disputes to an end.
It all began in 2024 when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the making of the film. Following the allegations, Baldoni and production company Wayfarer Studios filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. The lawsuit was later dismissed after a judge ruled that Lively’s allegations were protected under the litigation privilege. Recently, ahead of the scheduled trial, the actors settled the matter. While the settlement reportedly involved no financial exchange, Lively later sought $7.5 million in attorney fees. After what appears to be a conclusion to the legal battle, Justin and his wife Emily have finally spoken out.
Justin Baldoni Finally Breaks Silence On Legal Battle With Blake Lively
In a video on Instagram, Baldoni said, “We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say, because lord knows we have.” He added, “But it just felt like every time we went to make a video like this, we wanted to speak, something was telling us not to. It just didn’t feel like the right time, and we were talking about it and feeling into it and praying about it.”
Addressing the ,Emily said that they had “so much to say.” She added that while it was difficult to know what was right to say at that moment, she and Baldoni felt extremely grateful for “so many things and so many people” in their lives.
Baldoni added, “Gratitude has saved us.”
We Are Healing: Justin Baldoni
After staying silent for two years, the couple felt it was time to speak up about the “painful, untruthful things” that have been said about him since the allegations surfaced. Baldoni said that they had chosen to let the continue without adding to the controversy. Emily added that it was a difficult phase for them and they had a lot to unpack. “There’s been a lot of trauma to move through, as a family,” she said.
“We are healing,” added Baldoni as he opened up about rethinking what matters to him and his family. He thanked those who supported him during the difficult phase and said that their support meant a lot. He added that the experience taught them that love becomes more visible when everything else is taken away.
The couple has received an outpouring of support from their fans online.