Actor Blake Lively secured a minor victory over fellow actor and director Justin Baldoni in court over their 2024 film, It Ends With Us. A US judge ruled that Lively can recover some legal costs from Baldoni, but not punitive damages and other relief she sought.
The judge cited a California law designed to protect survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits, requiring the plaintiff to pay the defendant's legal fees and costs if a defamation claim is dismissed.
However, the judge rejected Lively's claims to triple any damages and pursue punitive damages under California law, saying they did not fall within federal procedural rules.
Both sides cast the ruling as a victory, with Lively's lawyers saying the award of legal fees 'makes it clear that Ms Lively brought her claims in good faith,' while Baldoni's lawyer said, 'Once again, she failed.'
The dispute between the two actors began in late 2024, when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation, claiming he engineered an effort to damage her public reputation and credibility.
