Hollywood actress Blake Lively has asked a court to order actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni to pay her legal expenses and additional damages following the dismissal of his earlier defamation lawsuit, according to reports emerging days after both sides settled their broader dispute linked to It Ends With Us.
Lively’s legal team argued that Baldoni’s earlier lawsuit, which sought substantial financial damages, should never have been filed and caused reputational and professional harm to the actress.
The latest filing comes shortly after both parties agreed to settle their main legal battle connected to It Ends With Us. The settlement reportedly involved no admission of wrongdoing, no public apology and no financial payment from either side, an outcome that drew attention from followers of the high-profile dispute.
Lawyers representing the 38-year-old actress are also seeking additional penalties, maintaining that individuals who raise serious complaints should not face retaliatory or unfounded legal action.
Baldoni’s representatives said the latest request is unlikely to significantly alter the outcome of the matter, adding that the final decision rests with the court.
The legal conflict between Lively and Baldoni had attracted widespread public attention due to their association with It Ends With Us, a film adaptation of It Ends with Us by author Colleen Hoover.
Despite the recent settlement, the dispute now appears set to continue through further legal arguments over costs and damages, keeping the matter in the spotlight.