Judge Grants Blake Lively $400,000 of $8M in Legal Fees Sought in Film Dispute with Justin Baldoni
- A federal judge in Manhattan ruled that Blake Lively will receive $400,000 of the $8 million in legal costs she sought from actor and director Justin Baldoni following their settlement over the 2024 film 'It Ends With Us.'
- Judge Lewis J. Liman denied Lively the majority of her requested legal fees, citing the limits of a California law designed to protect sexual harassment and discrimination survivors from retaliatory lawsuits.
- The judge ruled that Lively is entitled to $363,245 in attorneys' fees and $44,206 in costs, as the California law only covered her defense against defamation claims rather than all claims Baldoni made against her.
- Lively had sued Baldoni alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and other misconduct during filming, while Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued for civil extortion and defamation.
- The two parties reached a settlement in early May, weeks before a scheduled trial, with both sides issuing a joint statement affirming their commitment to workplace conduct free of improprieties.
A federal judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday that Blake Lively will receive approximately $400,000 of the $8 million in legal costs she sought from actor and director Justin Baldoni following their settlement over the production of the 2024 film "It Ends With Us." Judge Lewis J. Liman denied Lively the majority of her requested legal fees, citing the limits of a California law designed to protect sexual harassment and discrimination survivors from retaliatory lawsuits. The judge determined that the law could only be construed to reimburse Lively for legal fees spent defending against defamation claims, rather than all claims Baldoni made against her.
Lively was awarded $363,245 in attorneys' fees and $44,206 in costs. Both legal teams claimed victory, with Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman stating the ruling was a "significant victory" that left Lively with less than 5% of her requested fees. Lively's attorneys countered that the decision was "historic" as the first time money was awarded under the California law, demonstrating "real consequences" for retaliatory lawsuits.
Lively's original lawsuit alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, and other misconduct during filming, including inappropriate comments about her appearance and pressure for unwanted nudity. Baldoni denied the allegations, claiming Lively fabricated complaints to seize creative control. After Lively sued in December 2024, Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios filed a countersuit alleging civil extortion and defamation. The two parties reached a settlement in early May, weeks before trial was scheduled to begin.
法官判决布莱克·莱弗利获得800万美元诉讼费中的40万美元
曼哈顿联邦法院法官在周三裁定，布莱克·莱弗利将获得她向演员兼导演贾斯汀·鲍德温索要的800万美元诉讼费中的约40万美元，这是在两人就2024年电影《以我们结束》的制作纠纷达成和解后做出的。法官刘易斯·J·利曼拒绝了莱弗利要求的大部分诉讼费，理由是加州法律的限制，该法律旨在保护性骚扰和歧视幸存者免受报复性诉讼。法官认定该法律只能用于补偿莱弗利为防御诽谤指控而支付的法律费用，而非鲍德温对她提出的所有指控。
莱弗利被判获得363,245美元的律师费和44,206美元的费用。双方律师团队都声称取得胜利，鲍德温的律师布莱恩·弗里德曼表示该裁决是"重大胜利"，使莱弗利获得的费用不足其要求的5%。莱弗利的律师则反驳称该决定是"历史性的"，因为这是首次在加州法律下获得赔偿，证明了"报复性诉讼的真实后果"。
莱弗利最初的诉讼指控性骚扰、报复、违反合同和其他不当行为，包括对她外表的不当评论和强行要求不需要的裸露镜头。鲍德温否认这些指控，声称莱弗利捏造投诉以夺取创意控制权。莱弗利在2024年12月提起诉讼后，鲍德温和他的制作公司韦弗工作室提起反诉，指控民事敲诈和诽谤。双方在定于进行审判前两周的5月初达成和解。