Actress Blake Lively has asked a federal judge to award her more than $8 million in attorney fees and litigation costs from actor Justin Baldoni [1].
The motion follows a high-profile legal battle involving defamation and retaliation claims tied to the film "It Ends With Us." This request signals that despite a previous settlement, the financial fallout from the dispute remains unresolved.
Lively filed the motion on June 30, 2026 [2]. The request seeks $8.04 million [3] to cover the substantial legal expenses she incurred while defending against Baldoni's retaliation claims. The actress said these fees are owed because she successfully defended her position in the case [4].
The underlying legal dispute between the two co-stars reached a settlement on May 4, 2026 [2]. While that agreement addressed the primary claims of the lawsuit, the issue of legal costs has remained a point of contention. A judge has already granted Lively fees for one portion of the case [5].
This latest filing takes place in a U.S. federal district court handling the Hollywood defamation case [1]. The legal proceedings have highlighted the friction between the lead actors during the production and promotion of the film. Lively's legal team said the costs were necessary to counter the claims brought by Baldoni [4].
Baldoni has not yet provided a public response to the specific motion for $8.04 million [3]. The court must now determine if the requested amount is reasonable, and if the settlement terms or federal law allow for such a recovery of costs.
“Blake Lively has asked a federal judge to award her more than $8 million in attorney fees.”
This motion demonstrates that settlements in high-stakes celebrity litigation often do not resolve all financial liabilities. By seeking a specific recovery of over $8 million, Lively is attempting to shift the entire economic burden of the defense onto Baldoni, a move that could set a precedent for how legal costs are handled in similar entertainment industry disputes.
