Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni returned to court in New York, a month after reaching an out-of-court settlement in their long-running legal dispute connected to the film «It Ends with Us,» in which they both starred, The Guardian reported.
This time, Lively’s attorneys are seeking legal fees and damages, arguing that a defamation lawsuit filed by Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, was a retaliatory action prohibited under California law. Baldoni’s legal team disputes that claim.
The legal conflict between the celebrities began in December 2024 when Lively accused Baldoni, who also directed the film, of making inappropriate comments about his sex life and attempting to add unscripted sex scenes to the film. She also alleged that Baldoni organized a public relations and social media campaign to damage her reputation.
Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios later filed counterclaims against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging extortion and defamation. Those claims were dismissed by a judge.
The terms of the settlement reached by the parties last month have not been made public. Meanwhile, based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, «It Ends with Us» grossed more than $350 million worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 2024.
