Blake Lively Seeks $8 Million in Legal Costs From Justin Baldoni Over ‘It Ends With Us’ Dispute

Blake Lively is pursuing $8 million in legal costs from Justin Baldoni following their resolution of the contentious production of their 2024 film It Ends With Us. Lawyers for Lively disclosed the claimed amount—covering nearly $7.5 million in legal fees from two firms and approximately $500,000 in other expenses—in a Tuesday court filing.

The actors settled their dispute last month ahead of an anticipated trial in Manhattan federal court, where Lively had alleged Baldoni orchestrated efforts to damage her public reputation after she accused him of sexually harassing her during filming. Baldoni, who directed and starred in the film alongside Lively, denied these allegations.

While the settlement did not include monetary compensation for Lively, a judge subsequently ruled she is entitled to recover certain legal expenses incurred after Baldoni filed a countersuit. The requested amount remains subject to judicial approval.

One of Lively’s attorneys, Michael Gottlieb, stated in a court declaration that he billed Lively at an average hourly rate of $2,187—below his usual $2,795—for 224 hours of work related to defending against Baldoni’s countersuit, amounting to $457,000 in fees.

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