Washington
A source close to actor-filmmaker Justin Baldoni said he is “ecstatic” after the settlement of the widely followed legal battle linked to the film It Ends With Us, according to his attorney Bryan Freedman.
Speaking to entertainment portal Page Six, Freedman said Baldoni was “very pleased with where things ended up” after legal proceedings involving co-star Blake Lively concluded earlier this week. He added that Baldoni was “ecstatic” about both the outcome and the settlement.
Freedman clarified that Baldoni had already been removed as a defendant after a judge dismissed 10 of the 13 allegations filed by Lively last month, including claims related to sexual harassment, defamation and conspiracy. He stressed that the final settlement was not directly Baldoni’s, noting that he had exited the case before negotiations resumed, though his production company, Wayfarer Studios, remained involved.
According to Freedman, the dismissal of several allegations significantly shifted the direction of the negotiations, and Baldoni viewed the agreement as a logical conclusion to a matter he was no longer directly involved in.
Looking ahead, the attorney said Baldoni hopes to support people who feel they have been falsely accused, and intends to continue advocating for women’s rights as well as survivors of domestic violence.
The interview came shortly before Baldoni was photographed in Nashville with his wife, Emily, while Lively made her first public appearance since the settlement at the Met Gala earlier this week.
Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit had left three claims — breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting retaliation — scheduled for trial on May 18. Baldoni had denied all allegations and had earlier filed a USD 400 million countersuit against Lively in January 2025, which was dismissed in June that year.
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Following the settlement, both sides issued a joint statement expressing pride in the completed film and reaffirming their commitment to raising awareness and supporting survivors of domestic violence. According to reports, neither Baldoni nor Lively received financial compensation as part of the agreement.