Pop Culture
Justin Baldoni Breaks Silence on Blake Lively Legal Battle: ‘So Many Painful Things’
After more than a year of lawsuits, leaked texts and courtroom battles, Justin Baldoni breaks down the ‘noise,’ the injustice, and how faith and family pulled them through
ByBernadette Giacomazzo
July 9, 2026
After nearly two years of lawsuits, countersuits, leaked text messages and courtroom battles, Justin Baldoni is finally speaking publicly about the legal saga that reshaped his life. In a new Instagram video posted alongside his wife, Emily Baldoni, the It Ends With Us director said the couple deliberately stayed silent throughout the fight with Blake Lively, choosing not to respond publicly while the case played out in court
“We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say,” Baldoni said. “Because lord knows we have, but it just felt like every time we went to make a video like this… it just didn’t feel like the right time.”
Emily echoed that sentiment, saying, “This feels like the moment,” before adding, “There’s so much to say.”
The video marks Baldoni’s first personal comments since he and Lively reached a settlement in May, ending one of Hollywood’s most closely watched legal disputes. Although he never mentions Lively by name, the message repeatedly references the emotional toll of the controversy and the decision to let the courts handle it
“There have been so many painful things that have been spoken into existence over the last couple of years,” Baldoni said. “That created so much noise, and we didn’t want to add to the noise. So we just wanted to let the justice system run its course.”
Emily said the family’s gratitude has carried them through the ordeal but insisted it doesn’t erase what they experienced. “Gratitude has saved us,” she said. “But it doesn’t negate the injustice and the pain that we have also felt in the last few years.”
She continued, “We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand… how could something like this even happen? Let alone disguised as a fight for women.”
The couple also spoke candidly about the aftermath of the legal battle. “We are healing,” Baldoni said. “If you’ve ever been through something traumatic, you know that healing isn’t linear. It looks different every day.”
Emily added that the family has endured “a lot of trauma,” while Baldoni said the experience forced them to reevaluate what truly matters. “It’s our family, it’s our friends, it’s our community… It’s our faith.”
The statement follows months of dramatic developments in the It Ends With Us dispute. Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation tied to the production of the film
Baldoni denied the allegations and responded with a $400 million countersuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm
That countersuit was later dismissed, while the court also dismissed most of Lively’s claims before the remaining issues were resolved through a settlement days before trial
Following the agreement, attorneys for both sides released a rare joint statement calling It Ends With Us “ag workplaces free of misconduct
Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, later called the outcome “a total victory,” noting that Lively voluntarily dismissed her remaining claims after most had already been thrown out by the court
The legal fight didn’t end entirely after the settlement. A judge later ruled that Lively could pursue attorneys’ fees related to Baldoni’s dismissed countersuit, though any request for punitive damages would require a separate legal action
Lively’s attorneys subsequently sought more than $8 million in legal fees, arguing the ruling established an important precedent for future retaliation cases
For Baldoni, however, the latest chapter is about moving forward. “We’ve grown closer, more devoted, and steadfast in our faith than we’ve ever been,” he said
Emily closed the video by hinting that more could be shared eventually, but said now isn’t the time
“There’s so much more to say,” she said. “The time will come. But for now, we are going to focus on continuing the healing and hanging out with our kiddos and enjoying life.”
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