'Resounding Victory': Blake Lively Breaks Silence on 'Exposing' Justin Baldoni and Holding Him 'Accountable' After Settling 'It Ends With Us' Lawsuit

Blake Lively broke her silence after settling her legal battle against It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni.

“This settlement is a resounding victory for Blake Lively," the actress' lawyers, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, shared in a statement with a news outlet on Thursday, May 7. "By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms. Lively."

"By admitting that Ms. Lively’s concerns 'deserved to be heard,' the defendants have ended once and for all the fiction that Ms. Lively 'fabricated' claims of sexual harassment and retaliation," the statement continued. "From day one, Blake Lively’s mission was clear: expose and hold accountable those who weaponize smear campaigns and retaliatory lawsuits to intimidate and silence survivors. That mission continues.”

Lively, 38, and Baldoni, 42, settled on May 4 — just two weeks ahead of their scheduled trial.

"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," Lively and Baldoni's lawyer said in a joint statement. "Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind."

"We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments," the message continued. "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 stars had been at the center of a legal feud since December 2024, several months after It Ends With Us hit theaters.

The Gossip Girl alum alleged Baldoni sexually harassed her and ran a smear campaign against her around the same time the film debuted. He denied the allegations.

While a judge dismissed those claims in April, there were a few remaining allegations at the center of the drama, including breach of contract, retaliation in violation of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and aiding and abetting in retaliation in violation of FEHA.

The It Ends With Us star and director had previously filed his own $400 million countersuit in December 2024 against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, citing defamation and extortion.

He claimed the mom-of-four and publicist Leslie Sloane attempted to smear his image and tried to take creative control of It Ends With Us.

Reynolds, 49, was named in the lawsuit since he helped rewrite a scene in the movie. Baldoni further claimed that Reynolds mocked him through the character "Nicepool" in his flick Deadpool & Wolverine.

Baldoni's lawsuit was eventually dismissed by a judge in June 2025.