Blake Lively’s courtroom fight with Justin Baldoni may have reached a settlement, but the financial battle is not over yet. The actress is now asking a federal judge to order Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, to pay more than $8 million in legal fees and expenses connected to their highly publicized dispute.
According to recent court filings, Lively is seeking a total of $8,035,040.88. That amount includes nearly $7.5 million in attorney fees and more than $539,000 in litigation costs. The request comes after months of intense legal conflict surrounding the film It Ends With Us, which starred both Lively and Baldoni and was directed by Baldoni.
The latest filing follows a ruling that allowed Lively to pursue reimbursement for certain legal costs after Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against her was dismissed. Although the larger legal war between the two sides was resolved earlier this year, the judge’s next decision could determine whether Baldoni and Wayfarer must pay a major portion of Lively’s legal bill.
Lively’s lawyers argued that the costs were necessary because of the size, seriousness, and public nature of the case. They said her legal team had to respond to a massive lawsuit while also dealing with intense media attention, complicated discovery, and thousands of pages of evidence and documents.
The dispute began after Lively made claims related to her experience during the making and promotion of It Ends With Us. Baldoni denied wrongdoing and later filed a major countersuit, accusing Lively and others of damaging his reputation. That countersuit became one of the most closely watched celebrity legal battles in recent years.
A federal judge later dismissed Baldoni’s defamation-related case, which opened the door for Lively to request legal fees under a California law designed to protect people who report harassment or discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits. The judge did not automatically grant her the full amount, but ruled that she could ask for reimbursement.
That distinction is important. Lively has not yet been awarded the $8 million. Instead, she has filed a formal request, and the court must now decide how much, if anything, Baldoni and Wayfarer should be required to pay.
Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have been given until July 13, 2026, to respond to the fee request. After that, Judge Lewis J. Liman will decide whether the amount Lively is seeking is reasonable and whether it should be reduced, denied in part, or granted.
Lively’s legal team framed the filing as a warning that retaliatory lawsuits can carry consequences. They argued that her defense required extensive work because of the scale of Baldoni’s claims and the impact the case had on her personal and professional reputation.
At the same time, Baldoni’s side has continued to deny the accusations against him and has also claimed victory in parts of the legal outcome. His legal team is expected to challenge Lively’s fee request, especially because the broader dispute ended without a monetary settlement paid to her.
Reports say Lively did not receive money as part of the earlier settlement between the parties. That makes this new request especially significant, because it could become the biggest financial consequence still left from the case.
The filing also shows how expensive the legal battle became behind the scenes. High-profile lawsuits involving celebrities often require large teams of attorneys, document review, court filings, media strategy, travel, research, and months of preparation before a trial ever begins.
For Lively, the request is about recovering the money she says was spent defending herself against Baldoni’s dismissed lawsuit. For Baldoni, the next stage will be about convincing the court that the requested amount is too high or should not be granted in full.
The judge’s decision could also carry meaning beyond this one celebrity case. Because the ruling involves legal protections for people who report harassment or discrimination, entertainment observers and legal analysts are watching closely to see how the court handles the fee request.
For now, the case has shifted from accusations and public statements to numbers, deadlines, and legal arguments over who should pay. The public drama may have slowed down, but the financial consequences are still very much alive.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni may have settled the larger dispute, but the final chapter has not been written yet. With more than $8 million now on the table, the court’s next ruling could decide whether this headline-making battle ends quietly or delivers one more major turn.
This report was put together from multiple public court updates and entertainment news reports.
