Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have settled a legal dispute stemming from the production of the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us. The settlement, announced Monday, averts a civil trial scheduled for May in which both actors were expected to testify regarding Lively's allegations of sexual misconduct.
Lively sued Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others in December 2024, seeking damages for alleged harassment, defamation, invasion of privacy, and violations of federal and state civil rights laws. She claimed the defendants created a sexually charged atmosphere during production and subsequently mounted a smear campaign to silence her. While U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman dismissed the sexual harassment claims on April 2, the trial was still set to proceed over her retaliation claims.
Baldoni denied the accusations, asserting that he resolved Lively's concerns and was entitled to hire a crisis management firm after she began disparaging him publicly. He previously filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging they tried to destroy his reputation, though Judge Liman dismissed that case in June. A similar defamation case against the New York Times was also dismissed.
In a joint statement, legal representatives for both parties said the movie is a source of pride and that they stand behind the goal of raising awareness and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence and other survivors. Settlement details were not revealed. It Ends With Us, which stars Lively as a flower shop owner and Baldoni as a neurosurgeon, grossed more than $351 million worldwide despite mixed reviews.