Hollywood life is like a drama. Just hours before the annual fashion extravaganza, the "Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala" (MET GALA) began, "Gossip Girl" star Blake Lively and It Ends With Us director and leading actor Justin Baldoni announced they had reached a settlement. However, once the MET GALA ended, Blake Lively resumed her pursuit of compensation, dragging out the legal saga even longer.
Recently, Blake has demanded that Baldoni pay her a "substantial" amount in damages, on the grounds that after Baldoni's countersuit against her was dismissed by the court, she believed she had the right to request payment of her attorneys' fees, litigation costs, treble damages, and additional punitive damages.
In 2024, Blake accused It Ends With Us lead actor and director Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliatory actions on set. Baldoni denied the allegations and, in turn, accused Blake of defamation. Subsequently, the court dismissed most of Blake's claims as well as Baldoni’s countersuit. Recently, the two parties had reportedly reached a settlement, said to involve no money exchanged.
Now, Blake claims that, since Baldoni’s countersuit failed, he should pay for her legal expenses. However, at a hearing in New York court on Monday, the judge advised Blake to consider dropping her compensation claim. Blake’s attorney did not back down, arguing that Blake’s reputation and career had been harmed.
Source: Liberty Times