The legal fight between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has ended, but the actor-director is now thinking about a new path for his career. His lawyer says Baldoni might become a speaker for people who have been falsely accused.
Baldoni, 42, and Lively, 38, spent nearly a year and a half in a bitter legal dispute. The fight started in December 2024 when Lively filed a lawsuit against her It Ends with Us co-star and director. She made claims of s*xual harassment and said Baldoni tried to ruin her reputation. The case was set for trial on May 18, but the two sides reached a settlement in early May.
Now that the legal war is over, Baldoni is looking at what comes next. His lawyer Bryan Freedman spoke with TMZ on June 1 in New York City and shared that Baldoni may step into a new role as an advocate.
Lawyer Says Baldoni Could Speak For The Wrongfully Accused
Freedman said there is a real chance Baldoni could become “a speaker for people who have been wrongfully accused of something, and really beaten up by a power dynamic.” The lawyer explained that the It Ends with Us star is still thinking about which direction to take his career after finishing the legal fight with Lively.
Freedman shared that the past months have been difficult for Baldoni. “I think it’s still been tough for him,” Freedman said. “He’s still going through a lot, and you go through anything like that, it’s really shattering your ego and your pride and your vulnerability and all of it.” He added that Baldoni opens himself up in a way most people do not and has been very authentic, which made the situation even more painful.
The support from the public has helped Baldoni get through this hard time. “It’s so meaningful to him and so powerful to him,” Freedman said. “He’s blown away at the love that he’s gotten, and it’s helped him survive.”
The main idea behind Baldoni’s possible advocacy work would be “the idea that you can be a good person, and not be taken advantage of just because you’re kind.”
Legal Battle Ended With Settlement But Fees Still In Dispute
The fight between Baldoni and Lively started when she filed a complaint in December 2024. She accused Baldoni of speaking inappropriately about his sex life and trying to add sex scenes to the film that were not in the original script. Lively, known for her lead role on Gossip Girl, also claimed Baldoni put together a PR and social media campaign to damage her reputation.
Baldoni and his studio Wayfarer Studios fought back. They filed a countersuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds with claims of extortion and defamation. A judge threw out those claims last year.
In April 2025, a judge dismissed 10 of the 13 claims Lively made in her first filing, including s*xual harassment, conspiracy, and defamation. The two sides then settled two weeks before the trial was set to begin on May 18.
Even though the settlement was reached, the legal issues are not fully finished. On June 1, Lively’s lawyers went back to court in New York. They asked the judge to make Baldoni pay her legal fees and other penalties. Lively’s team said she deserves this money under a California law that protects people who report s*xual harassment from retaliatory lawsuits.
Baldoni’s lawyer Ellyn Garofalo pushed back against this request. She told the court that the settlement was reached without Baldoni or his company “paying a cent of the $300 million in damages she was demanding.” Garofalo said Lively was trying to do “an end run” around the settlement and reopening the case would mean starting a whole new legal fight.
Judge Lewis Liman heard more than an hour of arguments but did not make an immediate decision.
Both Stars Released Joint Statement After Settlement
Weeks ago, after reaching the settlement, Lively and Baldoni released a joint statement through their legal teams. They said they came out of the case with shared goals.
“Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind,” Lively and Baldoni said. “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.”
The statement showed both actors wanted to focus on helping survivors rather than continuing their public fight.
Film Success Overshadowed By Legal Problems
It Ends with Us was a big success at the box office. The movie earned $148 million in the United States and $350 million around the world. The film was based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 book about a woman in a toxic relationship. Lively played Lily Bloom and Baldoni played Ryle Kincaid. The cast also included Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar, and Kevin McKidd.
But the success of the movie was overshadowed by the legal fight between its two main stars. What should have been a career highlight for both turned into a public legal battle that lasted 18 months and cost millions in legal fees.
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Baldoni’s Career Before And After The Case
Before It Ends with Us, Baldoni was best known for playing Rafael Solano on the TV show Jane the Virgin from 2014 to 2019. He also directed movies like Five Feet Apart (2019) and Clouds (2020). Baldoni wrote a book called Man Enough in 2021, which talked about modern ideas of masculinity.
Lively came to fame on Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012. She has also starred in movies like The Town (2010), The Shallows (2016), A Simple Favor (2018), and The Rhythm Section (2020).
Freedman said Baldoni will return to work soon in some form, whether in Hollywood or as a voice for people who feel they were wrongfully accused. The lawyer noted that Baldoni’s experience in this case left a lasting mark on him.
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