Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have finally put an end to their lawsuits, reaching a settlement over a lawsuit that alleged Baldoni had sexually harassed Lively while on set.
What did Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively say in their statement?
In a statement issued by both parties on Monday, they started by praising the product of It Ends With Us, the 2024 romantic drama that was directed by Baldoni and starred himself and Lively. The statement goes on to acknowledge Lively’s issues, and notes that it hopes the settlement brings the end of the drama between the pair, allowing everyone to move on.
“The end product – the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ – is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life,” they said (via THR). “Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind.
“We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”
Alongside ending things between the pair, the settlement also means they will avoid going to trial, pushing further things into the news and now officially ending a ton of controversy that had ensnared many parties over the past two years. This lawsuit was the first made by either party, with Lively alleging that Baldoni had acted inappropriately while on set, and also alleging that Baldoni had orchestrated a plan to ruin her reputation online as a result.
Lively’s lawsuit led to Baldoni counter-suing, asking for $400 million in a suit that alleged that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, orchestrated their own smear campaign against him. That lawsuit ended up being dismissed last year, but the ongoing lawsuit between Lively and Baldoni was set to head to trial, with jury selection set for later this month.
Now, though, the pair will move on, with neither likely to bring forth any other suits. It’s unclear what the terms of the settlement were as of now.
