Blake Lively Asked For $8 Million In Legal Fees From Justin Baldoni — And The Judge Just Gave Her 5% Of That ⚖️💸
After settling her massive lawsuit against her "It Ends With Us" costar, Blake wanted $8 million to cover her attorneys' fees — but a judge just called that request "outrageously unreasonable" and awarded her less than half a million instead. YIKES.
Well, well, well — Blake Lively just got a VERY different number than she was hoping for, and we need to talk about it.
The actress was awarded just over $400,000 in attorneys' fees and costs from Justin Baldoni — which sounds like a lot until you realize she asked for $8 MILLION. Yes, really.
According to documents obtained by E! News, a judge awarded Lively exactly $407,451.75 (that's $363,245.40 in attorneys' fees plus $44,206.35 in costs). That's approximately 5% of what her legal team requested back in June following her settlement with the It Ends With Us director.
And the judge didn't hold back, either — Page Six reports the ruling described Blake's $8 million demand as an "outrageously unreasonable" request. Ouch.
The Tea ☕
- Blake Lively settled her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni in May 2026 after a months-long legal battle
- Her lawyers asked for over $8 million in fees and costs in June
- A judge just awarded her $407,451.75 — that's only 5% of what she requested
- The judge called the $8M request "outrageously unreasonable"
What This Is All About
Let's rewind. Blake and Justin's legal nightmare started back in December 2024, when the Gossip Girl alum filed a California Civil Rights Department complaint alleging sexual harassment and claiming Baldoni and his team at Wayfarer Studios launched a smear campaign against her after she voiced concerns about on-set conduct.
Baldoni denied everything and countersued. The whole thing was MESSY.
Fast-forward through months of legal warfare: a judge dismissed Baldoni's countersuit in June 2025, then 10 of Blake's 13 claims got tossed in April 2026. They finally reached a settlement in May 2026 and released a joint statement about being "proud" of the movie. (Sure, Jan.)
Both Sides Are Claiming Victory
Blake's lawyers Esra Hudson and Michael Gottlieb told E! News they're calling this a win anyway, saying "This first-ever award of fees and costs under this California law is historic, and demonstrates that there are real consequences of bringing retaliatory lawsuits."
They added that Blake's case "was never about money – it was about accountability" and that she "lifted the curtain for other victims."
Meanwhile, Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman basically did a victory lap over the drastically reduced amount. He told E! News the ruling "is a significant victory for my clients and sends a clear message that, no matter how powerful you may be, the courtroom is not a place to take advantage of the law for your own personal gain."
He's not wrong that the judge sided with him on the dollar amount — getting only 5% of what you asked for is... not great!
What's Next?
According to Page Six, Blake is moving forward with plans for a Hollywood comeback after the whole It Ends With Us saga basically dominated headlines for over a year.
The settlement is done, the fees are (mostly) sorted, and both sides are spinning this as a win. Classic Hollywood, honestly.
But here's what we want to know: Do you think $400K is fair, or should Blake have gotten more for her legal battle? Sound off in the comments below! 👇
Sources:
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