Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Settle It Ends With Us Legal Battle

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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle ends with a settlement. 

Just two weeks before their court date, the actors from It Ends With Us resolved their long-running legal dispute with a settlement.

The team behind the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ is incredibly proud of the final result. Attorneys representing Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni – including Bryan Freedman, Ellyn Garofalo, Michael Gottlieb, and Esra Hudson – stated to NBC News that they are committed to raising awareness and making a positive difference for survivors of domestic violence and all trauma survivors.

The lawyers stated they understood the process was difficult and that Ms. Lively’s concerns were valid and should have been addressed.

We are dedicated to maintaining workplaces that are ethical and productive. We hope this resolution allows everyone involved to move forward positively and with mutual respect.

Lively and Baldoni’s trial was set to begin May 18.

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

For a full timeline of Lively and Baldoni’s legal woes, read on…

Four months after the movie version of Colleen Hoover’s book It Ends With Us came out, Blake Lively filed a complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) on December 20th, as reported by The New York Times. The complaint alleges misconduct by her co-star Justin Baldoni and several people associated with his production company.

The complaint, obtained by TopMob News, names Baldoni, his company Wayfarer Studios, its CEO Jamey Heath, cofounder Steve Sarowitz, publicist Jennifer Abel, her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace, and his company Street Relations Inc. as defendants.

Lively claims that Baldoni and those connected to Wayfarer launched a deliberate campaign to discredit her after she raised concerns about inappropriate behavior on set. She says she and others experienced behavior from Baldoni and Heath that was invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate.

The actress asserts this alleged campaign caused significant personal and professional damage. The complaint details accusations including sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to address harassment, aiding and abetting harassment, breach of contract, intentional emotional distress, negligence, invasion of privacy, and interference with her career opportunities.

The following day, The New York Times published a story detailing a supposed smear campaign led by Baldoni and his colleagues against Lively, referencing her complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD). The article included messages from Baldoni, his publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan, all of which were part of Lively’s complaint. The New York Times also made the full court documents available on its website. Lively told the publication, “I hope my lawsuit exposes these harmful tactics used against those who report wrongdoing and helps protect others who might be targeted.”

Following Blake Lively’s public complaint, Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing Antonio Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, strongly refuted her claims. In a statement to The New York Times, Freedman called Lively’s accusations “shameful” and “categorically false,” characterizing them as a desperate attempt to repair her own reputation, which he said was damaged by her own statements and actions during the film’s promotion. He emphasized that Lively’s interviews and public appearances were unedited and widely available, allowing the public to form their own opinions. Freedman dismissed the claims as false, outrageous, and intended to harm Baldoni and Wayfarer’s reputations.

Freedman also defended Wayfarer’s decision to hire a crisis manager, stating this happened before the film’s marketing began. He further explained that Wayfarer representatives did not take any proactive or retaliatory steps, only responding to media inquiries to ensure accurate reporting and monitoring social media. He clarified that the released correspondence only showed internal planning and strategy – standard practice for public relations professionals – and didn’t prove any wrongdoing on Wayfarer’s part.

Following a New York Times article published on December 21st, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) ended its relationship with Baldoni, as confirmed by Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor.

WME refuted claims that Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively’s husband, caused the split, which Baldoni later alleged in a lawsuit against The New York Times.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1st, WME stated that Baldoni’s claim of Reynolds pressuring his agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere is false. WME, which represents both Reynolds and Lively, confirmed that Baldoni’s former representative wasn’t even at the premiere and that neither Reynolds nor Lively ever pressured them to drop Baldoni as a client.

After Blake Lively filed a defamation lawsuit and The New York Times published an article about it, several well-known people publicly shared their support. Colleen Hoover, author of It Ends With Us, posted on Instagram on December 21st, praising Lively’s honesty, kindness, and patience and encouraging her to stay true to herself. Jenny Slate, who played the sister of Lively’s character’s love interest, also voiced her support, stating on December 23rd to Today that she stood with Lively as she addressed the reported attacks on her reputation, describing Lively as a leader and trusted friend. Slate called the revealed details of the attack “terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening” and commended Lively’s bravery. Brandon Sklenar, who played a love interest for Lively’s character, shared a link to the complaint published by The New York Times with the message, “For the love of God read this.” Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars—America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn—also released a statement expressing their solidarity with her.

On December 23rd, Liz Plank announced she was leaving The Man Enough Podcast, which she co-hosted with Justin Baldoni and Heath. In an Instagram post, Plank thanked listeners for their trust and support over the past four years, expressing her love for the community they built together. While she didn’t state a reason for her departure, it followed accusations made against Baldoni and his colleagues. Plank affirmed her commitment to the values the podcast represented and stated that ‘we all deserve better.’ She concluded by saying she would share more information later and that she would continue to support those who speak out against injustice and hold people accountable.

Stephanie Jones, a former publicist for actor Baldoni, and her firm, Jonesworks LLC, have filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, and current publicists Abel and Nathan. The suit, filed in New York on December 24th, claims Abel and Nathan secretly worked together for months to damage Jones and Jonesworks’ reputation, break contracts, and steal clients. According to the lawsuit, they coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a negative media campaign against Baldoni’s co-star, then falsely blamed Jones for the campaign when she wasn’t involved. Abel previously worked at Jonesworks until last summer. The suit further alleges that Abel and Nathan are now attempting to deflect blame and continue to harm Jones’s reputation within the industry. As for Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer clients of Jonesworks, the lawsuit claims they violated their contractual obligations and refused to resolve the dispute through private arbitration. TopMob News has reached out to those named in the suit for comment.

According to a December 23rd report in Variety, Lively’s lawyers obtained the text messages published in The New York Times through a legal request to Jonesworks. Freedman, the attorney for Nathan and Abel, as well as Baldoni and his colleagues, stated that none of his clients were asked to provide information and that he plans to sue Jones for sharing messages from Abel’s phone with Lively’s legal team.

As a lifestyle and media expert, I’ve been following a really interesting legal battle unfolding. Several PR firms – Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace and Street Relations – are suing The New York Times for a whopping $250 million.

The core of the issue? They claim the Times published a libelous article falsely accusing them of running a smear campaign against someone who had raised concerns about behavior on a set. They say the article relied heavily on the claims of this individual, without properly considering evidence that contradicted her story. Essentially, they’re arguing she was the one actually engaging in a smear campaign, and the Times didn’t give their side a fair hearing. They specifically point to messages being taken out of context.

The New York Times is standing by their reporting, stating they thoroughly reviewed thousands of pages of documents and accurately quoted from them. They plan to vigorously defend themselves against the lawsuit, emphasizing their role as an independent news organization following the facts where they lead. It’s a classic case of ‘he said, she said’ with very high stakes, and I’ll be watching closely to see how it unfolds.

That day, Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment, Heath, Sarowitz, the production company It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, Nathan’s company TAG, and Abel in New York.

The lawsuit, details of which were obtained by TopMob News, alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, and a failure to address harassment. It also includes claims of breach of contract, intentional and negligent emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.

These allegations were initially outlined in a complaint Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) earlier that month.

Regarding the lawsuit Baldoni and his team filed against The New York Times (which did not name Lively as a defendant), her lawyers stated to TopMob that her claims remain unchanged.

They argued that Baldoni’s lawsuit incorrectly suggests Lively’s CRD complaint was a tactic to avoid suing him and that she never intended to pursue legal action. They emphasized that her recently filed federal complaint proves this claim is false.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit against The New York Times, led by Baldoni, have indicated they intend to pursue further legal action. Court documents reveal they believe others were also involved and that this won’t be their only lawsuit. In a January 2nd interview with NBC News, Baldoni and Wayfarer’s lawyer, Freedman, confirmed they definitely plan to sue Lively as well.

The controversy surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continued to gain attention online. Some social media users suggested that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, subtly referenced the situation in his upcoming movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, through the character Nicepool. While Reynolds hasn’t addressed these rumors, Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, did speak out. During an interview on YouTube’s The Megyn Kelly Show on January 7th, Freedman stated that if someone’s wife experiences sexual harassment, the appropriate response isn’t to joke about it or the person involved. Instead, he emphasized the importance of taking the situation seriously, filing HR complaints, and following proper legal procedures.

Lively’s legal team stated that since she filed her lawsuit, she has faced increased negative attacks. They emphasized that her case, which alleges sexual harassment and retaliation, is supported by solid evidence and isn’t a simple disagreement or a matter of differing opinions. According to the complaint, Wayfarer and those connected to the company allegedly engaged in a deliberate campaign to discredit Lively after she attempted to ensure a safe environment on a film set. The lawyers claim the company’s response to the lawsuit has been to intensify these attacks.

They also reminded the public that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal, and warned against common tactics used to deflect blame, such as accusing the victim or portraying them as the aggressor. These strategies, they argued, downplay the seriousness of misconduct.

The lawyers clarified that public statements won’t be considered a defense in court and that they intend to fully pursue Lively’s claims through the legal process.

Responding to Blake Lively’s accusations, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, Freedman, stated to TopMob that it’s ironic Lively is claiming Baldoni misused the media, considering her team sent heavily edited documents to The New York Times before even filing the complaint. He further explained they are releasing evidence showing a pattern of bullying and threats aimed at taking control of the film. According to Freedman, Lively has a history of using others to deliver threats and get her way, and they have proof to support these claims.

On January 16th, Heath Baldoni, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s firm, Vision PR. The suit, obtained by TopMob News, alleges civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Specifically, Lively is accused of violating an implied agreement to act in good faith, while both Lively and Reynolds are accused of intentionally disrupting contracts and harming economic opportunities, as well as negligently interfering with potential business deals.

The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign, asserting that she took control of the It Ends With Us movie promotion and, with the help of Reynolds, Sloane, and others, launched a negative press campaign after facing criticism for her marketing efforts. Lively maintains she followed Sony’s marketing plan.

The lawsuit claims the defendants collaborated with The New York Times to publish a damaging and false news report, though the publication stands by its reporting. In a statement, Freedman asserted that Blake Lively was either misinformed by her team or deliberately misrepresented the truth.

Oh my god, it’s just so clear what’s happening! Lively’s team absolutely DESTROYED Baldoni’s lawsuit. They’re calling it exactly what it is – a classic abuser tactic! It’s like, she speaks up with proof of the harassment and retaliation, and he tries to make her the bad guy? They even have a name for it – DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim Offender. Seriously, it’s sickening. He’s trying to spin this story, claiming she took over creatively and drove everyone away, but her team says the cast already had issues with him and Wayfarer! And get this – Sony asked her to oversee the final cut, the one they ended up distributing and that was a HUGE success! But the worst part? His reaction to her speaking out. They’re basically blaming her – saying she ‘wanted it,’ or it’s her fault for what she was wearing. It’s just… ugh. Her lawyers are right – while she’s focused on the abuse, he’s focused on attacking her. It’s a desperate attempt to distract from the truth, and it’s not going to work. I just know it! She’s so brave for speaking out, and I’m completely on her side.

Lawyers for actor Justin Baldoni have released footage from the filming of It Ends With Us, arguing it proves he did not behave inappropriately on set, as alleged by his co-star Blake Lively. They state the scene was meant to depict a romantic connection and that both actors acted professionally and respectfully. Lively’s lawyers, however, disagree, claiming the video actually supports her account of the events. They assert that Baldoni improvised physical interactions without prior discussion or consent, and that Lively visibly expressed discomfort, repeatedly asking to simply have a verbal conversation. They believe the video will resonate with anyone who has experienced unwanted physical contact in a professional setting.

The couple sent a letter to the judge asking that Freedman, the lead lawyer for the other side, be prohibited from speaking publicly about the case. They believe this is necessary to prevent unfair or inappropriate behavior during the legal process.

A seven-minute voice memo Baldoni allegedly sent to Lively during It Ends With Us‘ production was published online. In it, the director appeared to reference the movie’s rooftop scene Lively had rewritten and how the changes were presented to him during an alleged meeting with Reynolds and their pal Taylor Swift.

“We should all have friends like that aside from the fact that they’re two of the most creative people on the planet,” he told Lively. “The three of you guys together, it’s unbelievable.”

In the recording, Baldoni also seemingly apologized to the actress for his lukewarm reception to her script, saying, “I f–ked up. One thing you should know about me is that I will admit and apologize when I fail.”

According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Stephen Baldoni has updated his lawsuit against Camille Lively, her colleagues Reynolds and Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm, Vision PR, Inc. The updated filing now also names The New York Times as a defendant.

Baldoni claims Lively and her team spent months working together to spread false information to The New York Times. He alleges the newspaper selectively used and changed communications, removing important context and intentionally editing them to be misleading.

Baldoni published a website detailing his lawsuit against Lively, including the latest version of his legal complaint and a chronological summary of key events. This website featured what Baldoni claimed were screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and himself.

The launch of the website followed an announcement by Baldoni’s legal team that they would soon be releasing all text messages between the parties involved.

In an interview with NBC News on January 2nd, Baldoni’s attorney stated their goal was to publicly reveal all evidence so people could draw their own conclusions based on the facts.

Lively’s lawyers updated her lawsuit, stating that two other women who worked on the film It Ends With Us also felt uneasy about Baldoni’s behavior on set.

The updated complaint, which TopMob News reviewed, asserts that Lively wasn’t the only one to raise concerns. It claims that these experiences, along with Lively’s, were recorded as they happened starting in May 2023, and that Baldoni admitted to receiving the complaints in writing at the time. He was aware that other women besides Lively were uncomfortable with his actions.

The lawsuit doesn’t reveal the names of these two witnesses, citing a climate of threats and harassment created by the defendants’ response to Lively’s claims.

Baldoni’s attorney, Freedman, dismissed the updated complaint as containing unreliable secondhand information and suggested that the two women are now unwilling to support Lively’s accusations.

Following accusations from Baldoni that Sloane spread false and damaging rumors – painting him as a ‘sexual predator’ – and ran a coordinated effort to harm his reputation with Lively’s help, Sloane requested the lawsuit be dropped.

According to legal documents obtained by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claims the accusations against her are completely unfounded and that she was brought into the lawsuit only to divert attention from the claims made by Lively.

Lively has hired Nick Shapiro, a former Deputy Chief of Staff for the CIA, to help with the legal strategy surrounding the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in New York. According to a member of her legal team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, this information was reported by Variety on February 28th.

David Shapiro started his career with the CIA from 2013 to 2015 during the Obama administration. He later held leadership roles at Visa, overseeing global security and communications, and at Airbnb, where he led crisis management. After three years at Airbnb, he launched his own consulting company, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.

According to documents obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times has asked a court to dismiss them from the $400 million lawsuit, which also involves Lively, Baldoni, and the company Sloane and Sloane.

In a court filing, the newspaper claimed that Baldoni’s team was presenting a biased story that had attracted significant media attention, but insisted that The Times should not be involved in the conflict. According to court documents obtained by Deadline, The New York Times’ lawyers also pointed out that Baldoni and his associates at Wayfarer initially filed a $250 million lawsuit against the newspaper, which was later dropped when they combined it with a larger $400 million lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has temporarily paused the exchange of information and documents in a case brought against The New York Times, following the newspaper’s request. Court documents obtained by TopMob News show the judge granted the stay while he reviews the newspaper’s motion to dismiss the case.

Judge Liman stated that The New York Times presented a strong argument that its motion to dismiss should be accepted, and that delaying the exchange of information wouldn’t unfairly harm the opposing side.

A spokesperson for The New York Times told TopMob News that they were pleased with the court’s decision, which acknowledges the important First Amendment principles involved and prevents unnecessary burdens on the newspaper from the lawsuit, which they believe should not have been filed.

Following accusations from Baldoni that Lively was using her friendship with Taylor Swift to gain more control over the film adaptation of It Ends With Us – and after Baldoni’s lawyers attempted to subpoena Swift – a spokesperson for the singer responded.

A spokesperson confirmed to TopMob News on May 9th that Taylor Swift had no involvement in the movie. They stated she wasn’t part of the casting process, didn’t contribute to the music, and never reviewed any version of the film or offered feedback.

Taylor Swift allowed the film to use her song, ‘My Tears Ricochet,’ according to her representative. They believe this legal request for documents is simply an attempt to generate publicity and sensationalize the case by using Swift’s name, as 19 other artists also contributed music to the film. It’s a tactic to attract attention rather than focus on the actual issues at hand.

Baldoni’s attorneys withdrew their request later that month, per Lively’s legal team.

The judge dismissed the lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Sloane, Sloane’s company Vision PR, and The New York Times. The judge ruled that Baldoni and his lawyers didn’t provide enough evidence to support their claims of defamation or civil extortion.

After the lawsuit against her was dropped, Lively spoke on Instagram about how damaging these kinds of cases can be. She explained that while she was able to win her case, many people don’t have the money or support to defend themselves when they’re unfairly sued.

She expressed her love and thanks to everyone who supported her, both those she knew and those she didn’t. She promised to always value and fight for them.

According to Baldoni’s lawyer, Lively’s claim of winning is inaccurate.

The lawyer stated that this case centers around false claims of sexual harassment, subsequent retaliation, and a fabricated attempt to damage someone’s reputation. Ms. Lively’s team has called this alleged campaign ‘untraceable’ because they can’t provide any evidence it actually occurred.

Lively gave a deposition at her lawyers’ office in New York. While some news outlets described it as a tense confrontation with Baldoni, her legal team later formally objected to reports suggesting she required a large group of witnesses to support her testimony.

From what Lively’s lawyer explained, Baldoni was actually in the room with all the other people I’m suing, along with their lawyers. It was a pretty shocking reveal, honestly, and really confirmed what I suspected all along.

 

According to a court document obtained by TopMob News, Isabela Ferrer – who portrayed a younger Lily in the film It Ends With Us – claims that Justin Baldoni and those working with him attempted to intimidate, control, and improperly influence her after she received a subpoena related to the ongoing lawsuit.

According to her lawyers, the actress asked Wayfarer Studios to pay her legal fees, as outlined in her contract. But they claim the studio responded by requesting she give them control over how she responds to a subpoena from Lively before they would cover those fees.

I’ve been following this case closely, and it’s really concerning. Apparently, Ms. Ferrer already had to deal with some unacceptable behavior from Baldoni when she was responding to the Lively Subpoena. According to the latest filings, Baldoni is now being accused of trying to intimidate her – basically, bullying her – by filing a motion against her. It’s a really troubling development.

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2026-05-05 00:20