In an ongoing saga, the conflict between Justin Baldoni, the lead actor and director of the movie “It Ends With Us,” and his co-star Blake Lively is far from over. Baldoni recently took to his official Instagram account with a nearly five-minute video, accompanied by his wife Emily Baldoni, expressing gratitude to their supporters amid a challenging time of healing from a traumatic experience caused by the bitter feud between him and Lively.
Addressing the distressing events of the past years, Baldoni emphasized the hurtful things that were spoken, leading to excessive noise. They opted to let the legal process proceed independently, allowing the truth and facts to emerge on their own. The couple revealed a sense of injustice they endured, questioning how such circumstances transpired under the guise of supporting women.
The conflict escalated when Lively, the spouse of Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her during the film’s production. This resulted in a series of legal actions, including Lively suing Baldoni and his production company for $250 million in defamation, and Baldoni counter-suing her, Reynolds, their publicist, and the New York Times for $400 million in libel.
Despite the dismissal of both lawsuits by a New York judge in 2025 and 2026, Lively and Baldoni agreed to settle their civil case in May. The terms of the settlement remain undisclosed. Lively, however, did not receive damages but was awarded legal fees, prompting her to seek $8 million in legal costs from Baldoni.
The movie “It Ends With Us,” based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, depicted an abusive relationship between the characters portrayed by Lively and Baldoni. Despite the turmoil, the film was a commercial success, grossing $351 million worldwide in 2024 and becoming the 20th highest-grossing film of the year.
Both parties released a joint statement through their legal representatives following the settlement, expressing hope for closure and a peaceful path forward. The Baldonis indicated they have more to share but will do so at an appropriate time.
While Lively has not responded to the Baldonis’ video, her past statements on the matter highlighted the real impact of digital violence and the dangers of online warfare. The ongoing legal battle continues to unfold, with Lively’s pursuit of legal costs standing out in the aftermath of the settlement.