Blake Lively is very pleased with the results of her settlement with Justin Baldoni!
The co-stars’ legal battle finally came to a conclusion on Monday when they announced they agreed to a settlement just two weeks before starting trial.
Speaking out on what they perceive as a “victory,” Blake’s lawyers said in a statement obtained by People on Thursday:
“This settlement is a resounding victory for Blake Lively.”
The statement comes as a Notice of Settlement and Stipulation was filed at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday, which the outlet viewed. In it, it details that the actress will be allowed to go after legal fees and damages against Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties! OMG!
Related: How Justin Feels Now That Blake Legal Nightmare Is Finally Behind Him!
As Perezcious readers know, the director’s camp brought forth a defamation countersuit against Lively after she filed her own lawsuit. It was later dismissed by the judge in June, and Justin and his production company “irrevocably waive[d] any appeal” in the settlement agreement. Will that work in Blake’s favor?
In the settlement, the parties agree that Lively is able to seek legal fees and damages under California Civil Code Section 47.1, which protects people who report sexual harassment or discrimination from retaliatory defamation suits. With this statute, Blake must prove that she prevailed against a defamation claim, that the lawsuit originated from communications connected to harassment or retaliation, and that the communications were made without malice. Her attorneys believe it helps that Baldoni’s countersuit was dismissed — and combine that with language in the original complaint and their recent joint statement, they think they have a strong case. The Gossip Girl star’s attorneys pointed out:
“By admitting that Ms. Lively’s concerns ‘deserved to be heard,’ the defendants have ended once and for all the fiction that Ms. Lively fabricated claims of sexual harassment and retaliation.”
Remember, the A Simple Favor lead was reportedly after up to nearly $300 million in damages when she was still preparing for a trial. While she may not get that much now, it’s interesting that she can still fight for any money at all, even after the settlement.
Will she fight for the money, though? A source close to her previously told People that “this was never about money — it was about exposing bad actors who are also harming others.” But having spent millions on this legal battle, we find it hard to believe she’d leave any coins on the table if there’s a chance she could get reimbursed for these legal fees! We’ll see…
As for Justin’s team, attorney Bryan Freedman issued the following statement:
“Let’s be clear, this is a win and total victory for the Wayfarer parties. The court had already dismissed 10 of Ms. Lively’s 13 claims, including every sexual harassment claim, every defamation claim, and all claims against the individual defendants. Ms. Lively voluntarily dismissed the rest. In our view, they settled because they knew they were going to lose in court. All that remains is a pending request for fees based on a very narrow issue that has been with the court since September 2025.”
Predictions, y’all?? Tell us in the comments!
[Image via MEGA/WENN & Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube]