Blake Lively Wants Justin Baldoni to Pay $8 Million. Here’s Why

Blake Lively is asking a federal judge to order Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to pay nearly $8 million in attorneys’ fees and litigation costs after she successfully fought off Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit.

The request stems from a recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, who found that Lively could seek reimbursement under a California law aimed at protecting people who report sexual misconduct from retaliatory defamation suits.

While the judge denied Lively’s request for damages, he allowed her to pursue attorney fees, setting up the latest dispute in the long-running legal battle tied to “It Ends With Us.”

Why Is Blake Lively Asking For $8 Million?

In a court filing submitted Monday, Lively’s legal team said it billed about $7.5 million in attorneys’ fees while defending her against Baldoni’s defamation claims. The filing also seeks roughly $540,000 in litigation expenses. Together, the requests total just over $8 million.

Lively’s attorneys argued that the amount reflects the extensive legal work required to defend against what they described as a baseless lawsuit meant to punish her for speaking out about alleged workplace misconduct.

“This gross abuse of the legal system was not meant to win in court; it aimed to retaliate against Lively by falsely branding her a liar, intimidating witnesses and the media, and discouraging others from speaking out,” her lawyers wrote in the filing. They also said a fee award would send a broader message to those who might use defamation lawsuits to discourage sexual misconduct complaints.

What Was The Original Lawsuit About?

The dispute began after the production of “It Ends With Us,” the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.

Lively accused Baldoni, who directed and co-starred in the film, of sexually harassing her during production. She also alleged that he later helped orchestrate an online campaign to damage her reputation after she raised concerns.

Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios denied the allegations. They responded with a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, claiming the couple fabricated harassment allegations to seize creative control of the film and harm Baldoni’s reputation.

Why Was Baldoni’s Lawsuit Dismissed?

Judge Liman dismissed Baldoni’s defamation claims, finding that Lively’s allegations were protected by litigation privilege. The doctrine generally shields certain statements made in connection with legal proceedings.

The court concluded that the claims could not support a defamation lawsuit under the applicable law. Lively later dismissed her own lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios shortly before trial in May. The settlement did not include any payment by either side, but it preserved her right to seek reimbursement of the costs of defending against Baldoni’s unsuccessful defamation case.

What Law Is Lively Relying On?

Lively’s request is based on a 2023 California statute intended to protect people who report sexual assault or harassment from retaliatory lawsuits. The law allows prevailing defendants to recover attorney fees when a court finds that defamation claims were brought in response to protected reports of sexual misconduct.

Lively’s attorneys said the ruling could have significance beyond her case. “Thanks to this landmark decision, those considering using a lawsuit as a weapon of intimidation have been put on notice that there are consequences for doing so,” lead attorneys Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson said in a statement.

“The value of this ruling is in the precedent it creates, the accountability it imposes, and the protection it provides to those who may one day find themselves facing similar retaliation for speaking the truth,” they added.

Does the $8 Million Cover All of Lively’s Legal Costs?

No. Lively’s lawyers said the request only covers the cost of defending against Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit. It does not include legal expenses related to pursuing her own claims, including depositions, discovery, motion practice, document review and public relations efforts during roughly 18 months of litigation.

How Has Justin Baldoni Responded?

Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, previously argued that Lively’s legal win was limited. “Ms. Lively was only awarded limited attorney fees for a single claim as part of a case that lasted only a matter of months, nothing more,” Freedman said after the earlier ruling. He also noted that several of Lively’s original claims had been dismissed before the parties settled.

“Notwithstanding that all of her sexual harassment and defamation claims were thrown out by the court, Ms. Lively then pivoted to exploit a California law that was established to protect real victims in what proved to be a fruitless mission to obtain damages. Once again, she failed,” Freedman said.

Following Monday’s filing, Baldoni’s legal team declined further comment but is expected to oppose the fee request before the court decides whether the amount sought is reasonable.

What Happens Next?

Judge Liman will review Lively’s request, along with any objections from Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, before deciding whether to award the full $8 million or a different amount.

The decision could become one of the first major tests of California‘s relatively new law protecting sexual misconduct accusers from retaliatory defamation litigation. It may also shape how similar cases are handled in future Hollywood and workplace misconduct disputes.