For over a year, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni had been engaged in a legal battle stemming from their time working on It End with Us. Both sides leveled allegations against each other in the time that followed, and a May court date was set for the stars due to Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni. Well, that will no longer be necessary, as it’s been confirmed that the actors have officially settled the case. Not only that, but they also released a joint statement that anyone who’s been following the situation will surely want to read.
Baldoni and Lively’s settlement came just weeks before their federal trial was set to begin in New York. Up until this point, there didn’t seem to be any formal indication as to whether Lively (38), Baldoni (42) and their lawyers were considering any kind of settlement. The former co-stars’ official statement was shared with Variety and, in it, they both discussed the pride they still feel over having made EIWU. Additionally, they shared candid thoughts about their hopes regarding conclusion of this legal saga:
The end product – the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ – is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind. We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.
What wasn’t divulged were the exact terms agreed upon by both Baldoni and Lively’s camps as part of this settlement. Although this resolution alone constitutes a notable turning point for this case, the joint statement is also worth taking note of. It’s also worth mentioning that the stars’ comments on their movie also align with those of those of It Ends with Us author Colleen Hoover. It was Hoover’s assertion that while the legal drama that played out after the film was “unfortunate,” the silver lining was that the story was told.
Article continues belowAs for the legal battle, it began when Blake Lively filed a complaint against Justin Baldoni. Lively accused Baldoni (who co-starred in and directed the film) of sexually harassing her on set and purportedly launching a smear campaign against her. In time, the Age of Adaline star filed suit against Baldoni, who refuted her claims and countersued her, Ryan Reynolds (Blake Lively’s husband) and others for $400 million for alleged extortion, defamation and more.
Baldoni and Lively’s legal matter also roped in a few other celebrities by proxy, chief among them being Taylor Swift, who’s reportedly since become estranged from former BFF Lively. That aside, Lively and Baldoni also experienced their share of legal wins and losses throughout the case. Last year, Baldoni hit a setback when his suit against Lively was tossed by a judge along with his multi-million dollar suit against The New York Times. Also, just a few weeks ago, 10 of the 13 claims Lively made against Baldoni were thrown out.
For as much talk as there was about the actual legal proceedings, insiders also shared various claims about how it was impacting Lively and Baldoni personally and professionally. Reports alleged that the two had put a lot of time and money into the case, and Lively’s team later claimed she’d lost over $100 million due to the case. Others also weighed in on the supposed damage that had been done to Baldoni and Lively’s images due to the long-running skirmish.
With the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni now at an end, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for them from a professional standpoint. Still, based on the statement the two actors shared, both of them would prefer to move forward from this situation.
