Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily, said Wednesday they are breaking a two-year public silence after a widely reported legal fight with actress Blake Lively that was resolved by a confidential settlement in May 2026.
The couple posted a lengthy video to Instagram in which they described the past two years as filled with “injustice” and “trauma,” and said they had refrained from commenting while the legal process ran its course.
The dispute began during the production of the 2024 film It Ends With Us. Lively filed a complaint and later a federal lawsuit in December 2024 alleging Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and, after she raised concerns, orchestrated a campaign to damage her reputation, according to court filings. Baldoni denied the allegations and filed lawsuits against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, The New York Times and others, accusing them of defamation, extortion and attempts to destroy his career, court records show.
In the video, Justin Baldoni said, “We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years,” and added that it “just didn’t feel like the right time.” Emily Baldoni said, “This feels like the moment,” and that “there’s so much to say.” Justin said the couple had “immense gratitude for … so many people and so many things that have happened to us,” and Emily said “gratitude has saved us” while not negating the pain they described.
Lively and Baldoni reached a confidential settlement in May 2026 without either side admitting wrongdoing or paying damages, court records show. The only remaining issue before the court is Lively’s request for about $8 million in attorney’s fees and litigation costs, which Baldoni is contesting, according to filings. The dispute drew extensive media attention and raised questions about workplace conduct and reputation management, court filings and news reports show.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
