Celebrity News May 07, 2026
Justin Baldoni’s Team Reacts to Blake Lively’s Team Declaring ’Resounding Victory’ After Settlement
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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are both declaring victory after their settlement was announced.
On Thursday morning, Lively’s lawyer Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson told “Extra,” "This settlement is a resounding victory for Blake Lively. By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively. And by admitting that Ms. Lively’s concerns 'deserved to be heard,' the defendants have ended once and for all the fiction that Ms. Lively ‘fabricated' claims of sexual harassment and retaliation. From day one Blake Lively’s mission was clear: expose and hold accountable those who weaponize smear campaigns and retaliatory lawsuits to intimidate and silence survivors. That mission continues.”
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman fired off a statement of his own, telling us, "Let’s be clear, this is a win and total victory for the Wayfarer parties. The court had already dismissed 10 of Ms. Lively’s 13 claims, including every sexual harassment claim, every defamation claim, and all claims against the individual defendants. Ms. Lively voluntarily dismissed the rest. In our view, they settled because they knew they were going to lose in court. All that remains is a pending request for fees based on a very narrow issue that has been with the court since September 2025.”
According to new court docs filed by Lively’s team, they are arguing for legal fees and damages against Wayfarer and Baldoni under California Civil Code Section 47.1, which protects those reporting sexual harassment or discrimination from retaliatory defamation suits.
The “It Ends with Us” battle started in December 2024, when Lively filed a legal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department claiming Baldoni sexually harassed her on set.
Two months later, she also accused him of defamation. Baldoni denied all of Lively’s allegations.
He then filed the $400-million lawsuit against Blake and her husband Ryan Reynolds, but Judge Liman dismissed it.
Liman also dismissed Baldoni’s $250-million libel lawsuit against The New York Times over its coverage of Lively’s claims.
As a result, Lively’s team argued that the $400-million lawsuit was retaliatory, stating, "Section 47.1 imposes severe and mandatory penalties against any party who files unsuccessful retaliatory defamation actions against sexual harassment and retaliation complainants.”
Earlier this week, it was announced that a settlement had been reached, representing closure following one of Hollywood’s most widely watched legal battles.
Justin’s Wayfarer lawyers Bryan Freedman and Ellyn Garofalo and Blake’s attorneys Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson stated, "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.”
The statement continued, "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.”
