Actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have reached a settlement in a high-profile lawsuit related to the filming of the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us, avoiding a civil trial that had been scheduled for May.
The settlement, announced in a joint statement, brings an end to more than a year of contentious legal proceedings. While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, both parties expressed hope that the resolution would provide “closure.”
Lively had filed the lawsuit in December 2024 against Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others, alleging harassment, defamation, invasion of privacy, and violations of civil rights laws. She claimed that a sexually charged environment was created during the film’s production, followed by a campaign to discredit her.
Baldoni, who also directed and co-starred in the film, denied the allegations, stating that he addressed Lively’s concerns promptly and defended his decision to engage a crisis management firm after public criticism from Lively.
Earlier, US District Judge Lewis Liman had dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment claims, though aspects of the dispute were still expected to surface during the trial related to retaliation claims.
The legal battle began when Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, later escalating into multiple lawsuits and counterclaims. Baldoni had also filed a defamation suit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, which was subsequently dismissed, along with a related case against The New York Times.
It Ends With Us, which features Lively as a flower shop owner and Baldoni as a neurosurgeon, performed strongly at the box office despite mixed reviews, grossing over $351 million worldwide.
