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Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their remaining legal dispute on May 4, 2026, before a scheduled trial. The settlement terms were not disclosed. The court later ruled on separate requests involving damages, attorneys’ fees and costs. The available reporting does not establish that either party rejected a specific mediation proposal.
What happened between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni?
The dispute centered on It Ends With Us, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel. Lively filed an administrative complaint with California’s Civil Rights Department on December 20, 2024, and a federal lawsuit on December 31, 2024. The court’s later opinion describes her claims, including sexual harassment and retaliation, as well as related litigation brought by Wayfarer. Those were allegations and procedural matters—not findings that every alleged act occurred. The court’s August 26, 2026 opinion sets out the claims and procedural history.
On May 4, 2026, the parties announced that they had settled their remaining dispute before trial. In a joint statement issued through their lawyers, they 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 settlement terms were not disclosed in the May report. The Washington Post’s Associated Press report covered the announcement.
Did Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle?
Yes. They settled the remaining dispute on May 4, 2026, before the scheduled trial. That resolved the remaining claims between the parties without a trial verdict on the underlying allegations. The terms were not made public in the cited report, so it is not possible to say from that account what either side agreed to do or whether either side admitted wrongdoing.
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The reviewed reporting does not establish whether either party rejected a particular mediation proposal or what positions they may have taken in mediation. It therefore does not support describing the settlement as the result of rejected mediation.
What did the judge decide after the settlement?
June 12, 2026: request for additional damages denied
On June 12, 2026, the court denied Lively’s motion for treble and punitive damages under California Civil Code § 47.1. This was a ruling on that damages request, not a finding that all allegations in the dispute were true or false. The June 12 ruling addresses the motion.
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- The Colleen Hoover Bestselling 2 Book Collection It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us
- ABIS BOOK
- Language: English
August 26, 2026: fees and costs awarded in part
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman granted Lively’s motion in part and denied it in part, ordering judgment for $363,245.40 in attorneys’ fees and $44,206.35 in costs. The order concerned fees and costs after settlement; those amounts do not decide the merits of the underlying allegations. The August 26 opinion and order states the award and its partial disposition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to understand the outcome
- Allegations are not findings. Lively’s complaint set out claims; the settlement ended the remaining dispute before trial, so those claims were not resolved by a trial verdict.
- The settlement and later rulings are distinct. The parties settled their remaining dispute in May. The court subsequently ruled on a damages request and on attorneys’ fees and costs.
- The settlement terms remain undisclosed in the cited reporting. The public announcement does not establish the terms, admissions, or mediation positions.
It Ends With Us was adapted from Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel. The source-material reference supports that connection, but the novel is not evidence about the legal allegations.
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