Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have reached a settlement in their “It Ends With Us” dispute — but Lively walked away without a single dollar. And the case is far from fully closed.
TMZ, Page Six, and Variety have all confirmed that no financial compensation was paid to Lively as part of Monday’s agreement. Sources close to Baldoni say his team is “ecstatic” about the outcome.
A source familiar with the matter warned, “Anyone purporting to confirm the terms of the confidential settlement at this point is misleading you. More information about this confidential settlement will be on the court’s docket in the coming days.”
Behind the scenes, settlement talks had been quietly gaining momentum for weeks — picking up in earnest after a judge dismissed the bulk of Lively’s claims. Both legal teams held meetings over the weekend, and the deal was finalized Monday.
Lively agreed to drop her three remaining claims against Wayfarer Studios and Baldoni’s publicist team, pulling the plug on a trial that was set to kick off May 18. The settlement spared both sides the multimillion-dollar cost of a full federal trial.
READ MORE: Justin Baldoni Pushes Back on Blake Lively’s Net Worth Secrecy Bid as Federal Trial Set for May 18
Notably, the sexual harassment claims had already been thrown out on a legal technicality — Lively was classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee, which barred her from pursuing harassment claims under federal employment law.
Attorneys for both Lively and Baldoni released a joint statement Monday, saying: “The end product — the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind.”
Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman told NBC News his client is “feeling pretty good” about the resolution. “When we were presented with an opportunity, we took that opportunity,” Freedman said.
Make no mistake: the legal battle is not over.
Lively still has a pending motion for attorneys’ fees and damages tied to Baldoni’s $400 million defamation suit — which Judge Lewis Liman tossed last June.
Lively’s legal team is seeking treble damages and punitive damages under California’s Protecting Survivors from Weaponized Defamation Lawsuits Act (2023). After the judge denied the original motion but invited her to refile, Lively did exactly that in September.
Baldoni’s attorneys pushed back in October, calling the request “draconian” and arguing it violated Baldoni’s constitutional right to petition the courts.
On a separate front, Baldoni had also filed a defamation suit against The New York Times. The Times countersued Wayfarer Studios in September 2025, seeking attorney fees — and that matter remains active on the court docket.
The professional consequences for Baldoni have been swift and significant. He was dropped by powerhouse agency WME — the same agency that represents Lively and Reynolds. The nonprofit Vital Voices Global Partnership, which champions women in leadership, also rescinded his “Voices of Solidarity Award.”
Just hours after the settlement was announced, Lively stepped out in full glamour for the 2026 Met Gala — smiling, waving to fans, and making her way up the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. For Hollywood, the image sent a clear message: one chapter is closed, but the story isn’t over.
The attorneys’ fees motion is still pending. The next move belongs to the court.
