Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily Baldoni, have spoken publicly for the first time in nearly two years about the legal battle with Blake Lively, posting an emotional joint video to Instagram on Wednesday, July 8, in which they described “injustice and pain” and said their family is healing.
“We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand so many things, like how could something like this even happen? Let alone disguised as a fight for women,” Emily Baldoni said in the video. “So much to unpack.”
What the Baldonis Said in the Video
“We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say, because lord knows we have,” Justin Baldoni, 42, began, explaining that each time the couple considered speaking, “something was telling us not to.” Emily added: “This feels like the moment.”
Justin said the couple stayed quiet deliberately to let the justice system run its course and avoid adding to the noise, while Emily asserted that “the facts have spoken for themselves.” He also thanked supporters who “had discernment,” saying love showed up “when God presses the reset button, and everything else is stripped away.”
The couple acknowledged deep scars. Emily said there has been “a lot of trauma for us to move through as a family, which also makes it hard to speak,” while Justin conceded:
“We don’t even know if this is the right thing to say, but we just know we need to share something.”
‘Healing Isn’t Linear’: Where the Couple Goes From Here
“We are healing. And if you’ve ever been through something traumatic, you know that healing isn’t linear. It looks different every day,” Justin said, adding the couple has had to rethink what is real and what matters.
Emily closed by promising more later: “There is so much more to say, and that time will come. But for now, we are going to focus on continuing the healing and hanging out with our kiddos and enjoying life.”
The Legal Battle: A Timeline
The saga began in December 2024, when Lively accused Baldoni, her It Ends With Us director and co-star, of sexual harassment and of orchestrating a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni has consistently denied the allegations.
Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios fired back with a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, husband Ryan Reynolds, and others, alleging extortion and defamation. Judge Lewis Liman dismissed that suit in June 2025. In April 2026, the judge also dismissed much of Lively’s case, including her sexual harassment claims, while allowing a retaliation claim against Baldoni’s PR teams to proceed.
In May, weeks before the trial, the parties settled with no money changing hands. The fight over legal fees, however, continues.
The $8 Million Fee Dispute Still Looms
The video landed days after Lively’s attorneys filed court papers saying Wayfarer Studios owes her $7,495,526.87 in attorneys’ fees tied to the dismissed defamation suit, plus $539,514.01 in costs, a total of roughly $8,035,040.88. Judge Liman ruled last month that she was entitled to fees under a California law while denying punitive damages.
Baldoni’s side has until July 13 to accept the figure or contest it. Representatives for Wayfarer did not respond to press requests for comment on the filings.
How Both Sides Stand Today
Lively, 38, has not directly responded to the video. Her husband, Ryan Reynolds, recently offered rare public comments about the dispute in an interview, while Baldoni, largely absent from Hollywood since the scandal, has signaled through Wednesday’s video that a fuller account may eventually come.
For now, the two-year saga that consumed one of 2024’s biggest films ends not with a trial, but with dueling narratives, a fee deadline, and a couple insisting the full story is still untold.
Justin Baldoni and wife Emily Baldoni speak publicly for first time since legal battle with Blake Lively:
“We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand so many things, like how could something like this even happen?… Let alone disguised as a fight for women” pic.twitter.com/clnR2qgbN1
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 9, 2026
FAQ
What did Justin and Emily Baldoni say about Blake Lively?
In a July 8 Instagram video, they described “injustice and pain,” with Emily questioning how the situation could happen “disguised as a fight for women,” while saying the family is healing.
Did Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle?
Yes. They settled in May 2026, weeks before trial, with no money exchanged, though Lively is now seeking roughly $8 million in attorneys’ fees and costs.
Was Baldoni’s lawsuit against Lively successful?
No. His $400 million defamation suit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds and others was dismissed in June 2025.
What happened to Lively’s harassment claims?
A federal judge dismissed much of her case, including the sexual harassment claims, in April 2026, allowing a retaliation claim against Baldoni’s PR teams to proceed before the settlement.
What happens next in the case?
Baldoni’s side has until July 13, 2026, to agree to or contest the $8 million fee demand a judge ruled Lively may pursue.
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Last Updated on July 9, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
