Judge grants Blake Lively $400,000 of $8M in legal fees she sought in film fight with Justin Baldoni

U.S. federal judge Lewis J. Liman has ruled that actress Blake Lively will receive just over $400,000 of the $8 million in legal fees she sought after her legal battle with director and actor Justin Baldoni over the production of their 2024 film "It Ends With Us." Lively's lawyers had claimed the total expenses, but the judge denied her the entire amount, citing the constraints of a California law designed to shield survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliation.

According to the judge's decision, Lively can only be compensated for the costs she incurred in defending herself against defamation claims, as opposed to all the allegations Baldoni made against her. The judge noted the intense courtroom confrontation between the two parties, acknowledging that their dispute had escalated into a "fierce battle against each other in court."

The ruling grants Lively $363,245 in attorneys' fees and $44,206 in costs, leaving the remaining legal expenses unmet.