“We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments,” both parties said in a joint statement.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reach settlement before trial

"We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments," both parties said in a joint statement.

By Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2022. Her work has previously appeared on MTV News, Teen Vogue, and NME.

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on May 4, 2026 4:45 p.m. ET

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Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni. Credit:

Mike Marsland/WireImage;John Nacion/Variety via Getty

The *It Ends With Us** *legal saga has officially come to an end.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios announced on Monday, May 4, that they’ve reached a settlement ahead of their trial, which was scheduled to begin this month.

"The end product — the movie *It Ends With Us* — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind," the parties said in a joint statement released on behalf of their legal teams.

"We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard," the statement continued. "We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online."

Lively and Baldoni in 'It Ends with Us'.

Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures Entertainment

The development comes after a Southern District of New York judge threw out 10 of the 13 claims in Lively’s bombshell lawsuit against her *It Ends With Us *costar and director on April 3.

Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and conspiracy against Baldoni, according to court documents obtained by **.

The May trial would have instead focused on her claims of breach of contract, one claim of retaliation in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and aiding and abetting in retaliation in violation of FEHA.

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Sigrid McCawley, a member of Lively’s legal team, previously told EW that her client planned to take her case to trial.

“For Blake Lively, the greatest measure of justice is that the people and the playbook behind these coordinated digital attacks have been exposed and are already being held accountable by other women they’ve targeted,” McCawley said in an April 3 statement. “She looks forward to testifying at trial and continuing to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation so that it becomes easier to detect and fight.”

McCawley also claimed at the time that Lively’s sexual harassment claims were thrown out “not because the defendants did nothing wrong but because the court determined Blake Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee.”

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Baldoni's lead attorney, Bryan Freeman, praised the judge’s decision to throw out the sexual harassment claims in a statement to EW. "Our clients are very good people who have not engaged in this sexual harassment as alleged,” Freeman said in part. “As such, they have deserved a vigorous defense which was led through transparency. It is gratifying to see that the court's ruling confirms what the legal team believed from day one."

Lively and Baldoni star in 'It Ends With Us'.

Baldoni and Lively’s legal drama dates back to December 2024, when she filed a complaint against the director with the California Civil Rights Department alleging sexual harassment and his coordination of a smear campaign. Lively took legal action after the conclusion of the* It Ends With Us* press tour, where behind-the-scenes drama and rumors of an alleged feud between the pair swirled for months.

In her complaint, Lively alleged that Baldoni engaged in "invasive, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior” and claimed that he hired a crisis relations firm ahead of the Colleen Hoover–penned drama’s premiere to facilitate a "sophisticated, coordinated, and well-financed retaliation plan" against her. In a statement, Baldoni’s attorney described Lively's allegations as "completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious."

The director responded by filing a countersuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds in January 2025, demanding $400 million in damages and accusing them of defamation, civil extortion, breach of contract, and other offenses. His lawsuit was thrown out by a judge in June.

There have been numerous developments in the wake of both lawsuits, with additional accusations levied by both parties and evidence — including text messages sent between Lively and pal Taylor Swift — being unsealed.

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