NEWSChelsea Handler Called 'Annoying' After Joking About Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's Legal Drama at 2025 Critics' Choice Awards
Chelsea Handler poked fun at Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's legal battle during the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards.
Chelsea Handler is probably right — there likely won't be a sequel of It Ends With Us with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
The comedian took a jab at the costars of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's romantic novel during her opening monologue at the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards on Friday night, February 7.
The comedian hosted the Critics' Choice Awards for the third year in a row.
"I want to acknowledge that we've been through a lot lately. Not just here in Los Angeles, but our entire country. Waking up every day, not knowing what news we are going to hear that will disappoint or horrify us," Handler's joke began. "So it is important in times like these to have a distraction, and that's why I want a personally extend my gratitude to Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively."
"Thank you for providing us with that distraction. I'm grateful, we are all grateful and I think we are good! I think everyone in this room — no matter whose side you're on — we can all agree to accept that there is probably not going to be a sequel. It Ends With Us guys," she quipped.
Blake Lively sued Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment in December 2024.
As viewers watched the awards show's beginning moments at home, social media users used their platforms to slam Handler for her apparently poor performance.
"Chelsea Handler [is] already an annoying host … give me back Nikki Glaser," someone stated of the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards host, who was applauded for her gig last month.
Justin Baldoni countersued Blake Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and the actress' publicist, Leslie Sloane, for $400 million.
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Another hater declared: "Chelsea Handler they could NEVER make me like you."
"The Critics’ Choice Awards starting out with a DEI and Blake Lively joke, bro just out the trophies in the bag and get it over with," a spectator snubbed after the This Means War actress stated, "I'm your DEI host, Chelsea Handler."
A few fans were particularly upset with Handler poking fun at Lively and Baldoni's legal drama, as it involves the Gossip Girl actress accusing the Jane the Virgin actor of sexual harassment.
"[Sean] Diddy [Combs] jokes at the Golden Globes, immigration jokes at the Grammys, Blake's sexual harassment jokes at the critics choice…" an individual complained.
Chelsea Handler thanked the 'It Ends With Us' costars for distracting her from the country's problems.
Baldoni and Lively's legal battle first began in December 2024, when The Age of Adeline star sued the Five Feet Apart director for sexual harassment and accused him and his team of creating a "multi-tiered plan" to ruin her reputation.
In response, Baldoni filed a counter-lawsuit against Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and the actress' publicist, Leslie Sloane, for $400 million on claims of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relations, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.
He additionally sued The New York Times for libel and false light invasion of privacy after the publication released a piece seeming to heavily favor Lively's side of the story and her accusations of sexual harassment.
Baldoni alleged the newspaper based their facts on Lively's "unverified and self-serving narrative."
