Blake Lively’s legal war with Justin Baldoni may officially be settled, but the ugly public battle is still raging behind the scenes.
Just days after both sides agreed to end their explosive courtroom showdown, Baldoni’s attorney launched fresh attacks against the actress, accusing her of avoiding trial because she was “scared” to testify under oath.
The renewed back-and-forth has reignited public interest in the messy “It Ends With Us” fallout, with both camps now fighting over who actually walked away victorious.
Blake Lively is facing fresh criticism after Baldoni’s lawyer claimed the actress settled their legal dispute because she did not want to testify in court.
As The Blast reported, both parties reached a settlement Monday, ending their nearly two-year legal war just weeks before a May 18 trial was expected to begin.
However, Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, immediately challenged the idea that the agreement represented a win for Lively.
“Part of the reason Blake settled is because she was scared to take the witness stand at trial. She did not want to face cross examination by anyone because that would require her to tell the truth,” Freedman told TMZ.
The lawyer also questioned why the “Gossip Girl” star chose not to publicly fight the case in court if her goal was truly to stand up for victims.
“If she’s doing this for survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment and retaliation as she says, then why don’t you take the stand at trial and prove it to the world?” he asked.
Freedman further argued that “A trial would have exposed her lies and the entire smear she was talking about in her interviews that she did.”
Lively’s Legal Team Fires Back At Baldoni’s Lawyer
The courtroom battle took a major turn last month after a judge dismissed many of Lively’s claims, including several tied to sexual harassment allegations.
Freedman pointed directly to those setbacks while arguing Lively gained little from the settlement. The attorney claimed the actress “ended up with nothing” after suing Baldoni for $300 million.
“If this is a resounding victory, what does a defeat look like?” he added.
Blake Lively’s attorneys wasted little time responding to Freedman’s explosive comments following the settlement announcement.
“I guess he’s no longer ‘ecstatic’ about the settlement,” her legal team told the outlet.
Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Continue Trading Accusations
Lively and Baldoni may have reached a settlement, but both sides are still accusing each other of dishonesty.
Freedman claimed Lively “lied about telling Sony to destroy the dailies,” referring to footage connected to “It Ends With Us.” According to the lawyer, the Hollywood star’s testimony conflicted with an email from Sony executive Ange Giannetti.
He also accused Lively of misleading investigators regarding author Colleen Hoover. “She lied that she never told Colleen Hoover to unfollow Justin Baldoni. In her deposition, Colleen said Blake asked her to unfollow him,” Freedman stated.
The attorney insisted there were “more lies” beyond those allegations. Meanwhile, Lively’s attorneys released their own lengthy statement defending the actress and attacking Baldoni’s legal strategy.
“By agreeing to this settlement, and waiving their right to appeal, Justin Baldoni and every individual defendant now face personal liability for abusing the legal system to silence and intimidate Ms Lively,” the statement read per the Daily Mail.
The lawyers also pointed to language in the settlement acknowledging that Lively’s concerns “deserved to be heard.”
Lively Still Wants Legal Fees And Additional Damages
Blake Lively may have settled the main case, but the financial fight connected to the lawsuit is still ongoing.
The 38-year-old is reportedly seeking legal fees and damages tied to Baldoni’s failed $400 million defamation countersuit against her, Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times.
Court filings show Lively is also demanding “compensatory damages tripled, and punitive damages.”
Lively’s attorney, Michael Gottlieb, argued that California law protects people who publicly report sexual harassment claims.
He noted that California Civil Code Section 47.1 was specifically designed to ensure complainants can “share their experiences with courts, agencies, the press, and others without fear of suit.”
Judge Lewis Liman previously agreed with that argument when dismissing Baldoni’s defamation case last year. However, the director’s attorneys blasted the actress’s latest demands as excessive.
The legal team argued that forcing Baldoni to pay her costs would be “draconian.” According to Baldoni’s camp, he had every right to defend himself against Lively’s accusations.
Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni’s Film Became A Massive Hit
Lively and Baldoni’s ugly legal fight unfolded after the release of “It Ends With Us,” the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.
The movie starred Lively as Lily Bloom, a flower shop owner whose relationship with Baldoni’s character, neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, eventually spirals into domestic violence.
Despite the controversy surrounding the actors, the movie became a major box office success. “It Ends With Us” grossed more than $351 million worldwide after its release.
In a joint statement announcing the settlement, both camps acknowledged the importance of the project itself. They described the film as a “source of pride” while also recognizing the difficult legal battle that followed behind the scenes.
The statement added that both parties hoped the agreement would “allow all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”