The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni was arguably thought to be over months ago when the two It Ends with Us stars settled the case. Both actors now have more unfinished business, as Lively (38) is requesting that Baldoni (42) cover her legal fees. Amid the continued legal proceedings, Baldoni and his wife, Emily (41), released a video message in which they addressed the drama. In the aftermath, a source is now dropping claims regarding why the actor/filmmaker and his spouse decided to speak out.
Justin and Emily Baldoni addressed the legal situation earlier this month via a joint Instagram video they shared. In the clip, Justin referenced “painful things” that had been said about him since his skirmish with Lively began in late 2024. While the pair didn’t want to add to the “noise” that had been created as a result of the case, they apparently felt compelled to speak out. Emily also added that despite what transpired, she and her husband were “feeling immense gratitude for so many things and so many people” during this time.
An insider for Daily Mail is now alleging that the couple’s video was a last-minute decision sparked by Justin Baldoni. The unnamed source claims this post can be attributed to Baldoni’s aim “to get things off his chest so he can go back to posting, just being normal in some shape or form.” As for Emily, she’s allegedly been “impacted” by this ongoing situation as well, with the source saying:
They’re a strong unit, and they’ve navigated it together, so it makes sense for them to speak out together. She’s been impacted too, and they’ve gone through the wringer together. Seeing her husband falsely accused and then seeing this woman have her case dismissed and then she’s still going out and saying she’s advocating for victims – it’s been tough to watch.
After the Baldonis’ video went live, there were various responses across social media. Some of Justin’s Jane the Virgin co-stars extended support, while other users criticized the video. Lively notably did not respond, though an insider later alleged that she watched the video and was “absolutely furious” about it. However, another insider cited in that same report claimed the Rhythm Section star wouldn’t publicly respond due to having “no interest in giving this another news cycle.”
Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexually harassing her on the set of IEWU and launching a smear campaign against her using a PR firm. The actress later filed suit against Baldoni, his Wayfarer Studios company and more on the grounds of those same alleged offenses. Baldoni denied the accusations and countersued Lively, her husband (Ryan Reynolds) and more for alleged extortion, defamation and more.
Following a back-and-forth involving tossed lawsuits and claims, Baldoni and Lively eventually settled in May 2025 around which point they released a joint statement. It was shortly thereafter that Lively pursued damages and legal fees, with a judge eventually ruling that she was entitled to the latter. As it stands, Lively is seeking more than $8 million in legal fee compensation much to the chagrin of Baldoni’s attorneys, who referred to the requests as “excessive” in a recent filing.
As Baldoni continues to contend with legal hurdles, it’s been alleged that his “focus” is on Emily and their two kids – Maiya Grace (11) and Maxwell Roland-Samuel (7). The Baldonis have since moved from Ojai, California to Nashville, Tennessee. As for whether Justin will speak out again, the source said, “Honestly, time will tell.” Yet they also said they “think he’s just definitely ready to start moving on with his life.”