Baldoni speaks for the first time after million-dollar lawsuit against Blake Lively

Baldoni published a video on Instagram alongside his wife, Emily, and said that the couple avoided speaking out for almost two years. "We haven't spoken out publicly for most of the last two years, and it's not because we didn't have anything to say," he said.

He said that the decision to speak now came after a period of reflection and faith. "Because God knows we have, but it seemed like every time we were going to do a video like this that we wanted to talk about, something told us not to do it. It just didn't feel like the right time, and we were talking about it and feeling it and praying about it," he said.

Emily stated that the couple chose this moment to speak out, but indicated that they will not address all points of the case. "This seems to be the moment. There is so much to say," he declared. Justin Baldoni said that in recent years, gratitude is what saved his family.

The actress said that the feeling of gratitude does not erase what they say they have experienced in recent years. "...does not cancel out the injustice and pain that we have also felt in recent years. We had to struggle with so many things and try to understand so many things, for example: how could something like this happen? Even more so disguised as a fight for women. There is a lot to elaborate on," he stated.

Baldoni stated that the couple preferred to let the case go to court and avoided fueling public debate. "We don't even know if this is the right thing to say. We just know that we need to share something. What I will say is that there have been so many hurtful things that have been said over the last two years. It has created so much noise, and we didn't want to add to the noise. So we just wanted to let the justice system take its course," he said.

Emily maintained that the outcome of the process reinforces their version of the episode. “The truth and the facts spoke for themselves,” he said.

When talking about how he is doing, Baldoni said the couple is still trying to recover from what he calls a traumatic experience. "We are healing. If you have ever been through something traumatic, you know that healing is not linear. It looks different every day. We have had to rethink what is real and what matters. That's it. It's our family, our friends, our community, who have been there for us, it's our faith," he declared.

Emily said she intends to revisit the subject in the future, but that the priority now is her family. "There is much more to say. The time will come. But for now, let's focus on continuing to heal, spending time with our children and enjoying life," he said.

HOW WAS THE AGREEMENT AND WHAT REMAINED FROM THE PROCESS

Lawyers for both sides announced a settlement on May 4 that ended the dispute, which would go to trial in New York on May 18. Terms were not disclosed.

In a joint statement, the defenses said that the film is a source of pride and highlighted the theme of domestic violence addressed in the story. "The final product, the film 'This Is How It Ends,' is a source of pride for all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness and making a meaningful impact on the lives of survivors of domestic violence, and all survivors, is a goal we support. We recognize that the process presented challenges, and we recognize that the concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free from improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this bring closure and allow everyone involved to move forward constructively and peacefully, including in a respectful online environment," the statement said.

The dispute began in December 2024, when Lively sued Baldoni and others involved in the film, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane and her company, alleging defamation and breach of contract; the lawsuit was later dismissed.

Before the agreement, the case had already been reduced after court rulings that overturned most of the allegations. According to People, a federal judge dismissed ten of Lively's 13 allegations, including those of sexual harassment, and upheld only a limited set of claims linked to alleged retaliation.

The judge also ruled last month that Lively is entitled to attorneys' fees in connection with Baldoni's lawsuit. After the actress asked for more than $8 million in costs, her lawyers said the decision sets a precedent against using lawsuits as intimidation.

In a statement, Lively's lawyers cited the decision as a message to those who try to use the courts to pressure opponents. "Thanks to this landmark decision, those considering using a lawsuit as a weapon of intimidation have been warned that there are consequences for doing so. The value of this decision is in the precedent it sets, the responsibility it imposes, and the protection it offers those who may one day face similar retaliation for speaking the truth," said Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson.

Lawyer Bryan Freedman, who represents Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, said the agreement was a victory for his clients. "Let's be clear, this is a victory and a complete victory for the Wayfarer parties. The court had previously dismissed 10 of Ms. Lively's 13 allegations, including all sexual harassment allegations, all defamation allegations, and all allegations against the individual defendants. Ms. Lively voluntarily withdrew the remainder."

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