Blake Lively demands $8M in legal fees from Justin Baldoni
What's the story
Hollywood actor Blake Lively has filed a motion seeking $8 million in attorney fees and costs from actor-director Justin Baldoni. The move comes after she accused him of sexual harassment on the set of their 2024 film It Ends With Us. In response, Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer Studios had filed a $400 million defamation suit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, claiming they used false harassment allegations to gain control over the film.
Legal breakdown
Lively's attorneys detail costs incurred during litigation
Lively's legal team has detailed the costs incurred during the 18-month-long litigation against Baldoni. The $8 million fee request covers only a small portion of the total legal costs. It does not include expenses from Lively's own lawsuit, which involved extensive depositions, document reviews, and public relations efforts. Her attorneys argued that granting the fees would discourage retaliatory and baseless lawsuits against accusers.
Cost breakdown
Breakdown of legal fees charged to Lively
Lively's lawyers have disclosed that they charged her nearly $7.5 million in attorney fees from two law firms and about $5,00,000 in other expenses. One of her lawyers, Michael Gottlieb, revealed he usually charges $2,795 per hour but gave Lively a discount to $2,187 per hour. He billed 224 hours for work on her defense to Baldoni's countersuit, totaling $4,57,000 in fees.
Court decision
Judge allows recovery of some legal costs
The judge in the case has allowed Lively to recover some of the legal costs she incurred after Baldoni filed a countersuit against her. This decision was based on a California law that protects survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits. The law states that if a defamation claim made in response to a lawsuit is dismissed, the plaintiff must pay the defendant's legal fees and costs.
Legal saga
A look at the past legal battle between the duo
Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, accusing them of conspiring with publicists to ruin her reputation after she privately accused him of sexual harassment. Weeks later, Baldoni counter-sued Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist for defamation and extortion. He denied the harassment claims and alleged that Lively fabricated complaints about his behavior to gain creative control over the movie. The judge dismissed both suits last year.