Home / Arts and Entertainment / Judge Awards Lively $400K, Denies $8M
Judge Awards Lively $400K, Denies $8M
26 Aug
Summary
- Blake Lively awarded $363,000 in fees and $44,000 in costs.
- Lively sought $8 million in attorneys' fees and court costs.
- Case involved defamation claims between co-stars Lively and Baldoni.
A judge recently awarded Blake Lively about $400,000 in attorneys' fees and court costs as part of her legal dispute with "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni. This amount falls far short of the $8 million Lively had requested.
The settlement of their 18-month legal conflict occurred in May 2026, preventing a federal trial. Lively's motion for attorneys' fees related to defending herself against Baldoni's defamation suit was the final unresolved matter.
Judge Lewis Liman granted Lively $363,000 in attorneys' fees and an additional $44,000 in court costs. He determined that Lively was only eligible for reasonable fees pertaining to her defense against the defamation claims. While acknowledging the complexity and stakes of the case, the judge found the number of hours Lively sought reimbursement for to be unreasonable.
Lively had initially filed a complaint in December 2025, alleging a smear campaign by Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. Baldoni responded with a defamation suit, accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of fabricating allegations. Baldoni also sued The Times for its reporting on the civil rights complaint, but that suit was dismissed.
