Blake Lively has filed for $8 million in fees and costs incurred during her legal battle against Justin Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios. The request covers legal expenses from January to June 2025, arising from Baldoni's $400 million countersuit, which was dismissed in June 2025. The dispute stems from Lively's initial sexual harassment complaint against Baldoni, her director and co-star in the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
Details of the Fee Request
In a letter dated June 30, Lively's legal team requested $7,495,526.87 in attorneys' fees and $539,514.01 in costs, totaling $8,035,040. The filing includes a 15-page memorandum of law that criticizes Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios for engaging in what Lively's attorneys describe as 'scorched-earth litigation tactics designed to drain Lively's resources.'
The memorandum highlights a 'near-daily press campaign promoting their sham lawsuit, propounding expansive and irrelevant discovery demands, obstructing discovery directed at them and affiliated third parties, and forcing Lively to seek frequent relief from the Court to rein in their abusive docket filings.'
Allegations of Retaliation
Lively's attorneys, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, argue that Baldoni's countersuit was not intended to succeed in court but to retaliate against Lively. 'This gross abuse of the legal system was not meant to win in court. Its aim was to retaliate against Lively by falsely branding her a liar, intimidating witnesses and the media, and discouraging others from speaking out,' the memorandum states.
In a statement to the Guardian, Gottlieb and Hudson said, '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. 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.'
Background and Next Steps
Baldoni originally filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, in January 2025, alleging civil extortion, defamation, and invasion of privacy after Lively's harassment complaint. The defamation suit was dismissed in June 2025. Following the settlement of the primary lawsuit in early May 2025, a federal judge ruled that Lively was 'entitled to fees and costs' from combating Baldoni's countersuit.
Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have until July 13 to either agree to pay the $8 million or challenge the claim. The Guardian has sought comment from Baldoni's lawyers.
