Justin Baldoni has broken his silence following his legal battle with Blake Lively, revealing he and his family are still recovering from the trauma of the dispute. In an emotional social media clip posted on Wednesday, the It Ends With Us director and actor, alongside his wife Emily Baldoni, said they wanted to set the record straight after two years of silence.
Why They Stayed Silent
The couple explained they had not spoken publicly during the two-year legal saga because they wanted the courts to run their course. Justin said: "We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it's not because we haven't had anything to say. But it just felt like every time we went to make a video like this, something was telling us not to."
Emily added that the dispute left lasting scars on their family. She said: "We've had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand how something like this could happen, let alone disguised as a fight for women. There's been a lot of trauma for us to move through as a family."
Legal Settlement and Ruling
Last month, a federal judge ruled that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios must pay Lively's legal fees, totalling $8,035,040.88 (roughly £6 million). U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed most of Lively's claims, including harassment, defamation and conspiracy, but allowed three claims to stand: breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation.
According to a defamation countersuit filed by Baldoni, Lively had texted him: "If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you'll appreciate that I'm Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons."
Healing and Moving Forward
Now that the legal drama is over, Justin said the experience has brought his family closer. He said: "We are healing. If you've ever been through something traumatic, you know healing isn't linear. We have had to rethink what is real and what matters. It's the kids, our family, our friends, our community, our faith. We're closer and more devoted in our faith than ever."
Emily hinted there is more to come, saying: "There is so much more to say. That time will come, but for now, we are going to focus on continuing the healing and hanging out with our kiddos."
