Blake Lively seeks damages, legal fees from Justin Baldoni
Actress Blake Lively is pictured March 7, 2026, in Wrexham, Wales, in Great Britain in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The legal saga surrounding actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni returned to court Monday in New York City, a month after her employment lawsuit against her co-star was settled privately and as Lively now seeks legal fees and other costs.
In May, the two actors privately settled their civil suit in which Lively had originally accused Baldoni of sexual harassment while filming the 2024 movie It Ends With Us. A month prior, a federal judge tossed 10 of her claims, including sexual harassment.
On Monday, Lively’s legal team sought punitive damages against Baldoni for retaliation, aiding and abetting retaliation, and breach of contract, according to coverage by Courthouse News Service. Baldoni, who was the film’s co-star and director, filed a $400 million defamation suit in 2025 against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, that was later dismissed.
Lively’s attorneys said as the “prevailing defendant” she’s entitled to legal fees and costs, compensatory damages and punitive damages under California Civil Code Section 47.1, legislation that resulted from the #MeToo movement. It shields accusers of sexual misconduct from retaliatory defamation suits and imposes mandatory penalties against those people who file against complainants.
Neither Lively nor Baldoni appeared in court Monday.
See also:
It Hasn’t Ended With Them: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni lawsuit not fully settled
It Ends With Them: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni lawsuit reaches settlement
Blake Lively’s sexual harassment claims against Justin Baldoni face legal setback
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