Blake Lively dealt major blow after $8M legal fee request against Justin Baldoni
Blake Lively has suffered a significant setback in her legal battle with Justin Baldoni after a judge rejected most of her request for legal fees.
The actress had sought nearly $8 million from Baldoni to cover attorneys' fees and litigation costs connected to their legal dispute. However, Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Baldoni would only be responsible for $363,245.40 in attorneys' fees and $44,206.35 in costs, according to court documents reported by Page Six.
The decision means Lively will receive approximately $407,452 in total, only a small fraction of the amount she had requested.
Judge calls Blake Lively's $8M request unreasonable
According to the court documents, Judge Liman described Lively's request for $8 million as an "outrageously unreasonable demand."
The ruling came shortly after Lively celebrated her 39th birthday, adding another notable development to the long-running dispute involving the actress and her former It Ends With Us co-star.
Lively's legal team had argued that the award represented an important victory and said the case had broader implications for accountability and the treatment of women in Hollywood.
Blake Lively's lawyers defend the request
Lively's attorneys, Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb, argued that the legal proceedings were about accountability rather than money.
In a statement, they pointed to the dismissal of Baldoni's $400 million retaliatory lawsuit and described the fee award as significant under California law.
The attorneys also argued that Lively's lawsuit helped draw attention to alleged online smear campaigns targeting women in the entertainment industry.
However, Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman offered a sharply different interpretation of the ruling.
Justin Baldoni's lawyer calls the decision a victory
Freedman said the judge's decision "speaks for itself" and emphasized that the court rejected the vast majority of the amount requested by Lively.
According to Baldoni's legal team, the actress ultimately received only about 5% of the amount she had sought in legal fees and costs.
The lawyer described the decision as a significant victory for his clients and argued that the courtroom should not be used to pursue excessive financial claims.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their legal battle
The latest ruling comes after Lively and Baldoni reached a settlement earlier in 2026, ending a highly publicized legal dispute surrounding the production of It Ends With Us.
Lively had filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in 2024, alleging sexual harassment during the production of the movie. Baldoni denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million lawsuit involving Lively and others.
The dispute became one of Hollywood's most closely watched legal battles, generating extensive public discussion and multiple court filings.
In May 2026, the two sides reached a settlement before the case could proceed to trial.
Importantly, neither Lively nor Baldoni received money as part of the settlement, according to reports at the time.
What happened to the $8 million request?
Lively's original filing sought millions of dollars in attorneys' fees and litigation expenses.
Her June filing reportedly listed approximately $7.5 million in attorneys' fees and more than $539,000 in litigation costs and expenses.
Baldoni's legal team challenged the request, describing it as excessive.
The judge's latest decision substantially reduced the amount awarded, leaving Baldoni responsible for approximately $407,000 in fees and costs.
Blake Lively prepares for her Hollywood comeback
Despite the legal controversy, Lively is reportedly looking toward the next chapter of her career.
The actress has been linked to plans for a Hollywood comeback following the conclusion of the legal battle.
Her dispute with Baldoni, however, remains one of the defining stories surrounding her career in recent years and continues to generate attention across the entertainment industry.
For Baldoni, the ruling provides another development in a legal saga that has involved allegations, counterclaims and significant legal expenses on both sides.
Fameza Takeaway
The latest court decision does not reopen the settled dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, but it does determine how much Baldoni will contribute toward Lively's legal fees. Instead of the nearly $8 million requested, the actress was awarded roughly $407,000 in attorneys' fees and costs.