Justin Baldoni, wife Emily speak out for first time on Blake Lively legal battle
- By Umaima Amir -
- Jul 09, 2026
Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily Baldoni, have spoken publicly for the first time in nearly two years following the resolution of the legal dispute stemming from the 2024 film It Ends With Us.
In a video shared on Instagram on Wednesday, July 8, the couple reflected on the emotional toll of the past two years, explaining why they had chosen to remain silent throughout the highly publicized legal proceedings.
“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, but it just felt like every time we went to make a video like this, we wanted to speak, something was telling us not to,” Baldoni said.
He went on to say, “It just didn’t feel like the right time, and we were talking about it and feeling into it and praying about it.”
Emily added, “This feels like the moment,” adding, “There’s so much to say.”
While neither Justin nor Emily mentioned actress Blake Lively by name, their remarks come months after the legal dispute surrounding It Ends With Us concluded with a settlement.
Emily described the experience as deeply painful, saying the couple had struggled to make sense of what had happened.
“Our gratitude doesn’t negate the injustice and the pain that we have also felt in the last few years,” she said. “We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand how something like this could even happen, let alone disguised as a fight for women. So much to unpack.”
She also revealed that the couple has endured “a lot of trauma,” making it difficult to speak openly until now.
“We don’t even know if this is the right thing to say,” Justin says. “We just know we need to share something. What I will say is that there have been so many painful things that have been spoken into existence over the last couple of years. That created so much noise, and we didn’t want to add to the noise. So we just wanted to let the justice system run its course.”
Reflecting on where they are now, Justin said healing remains an ongoing journey.
“We are healing. If you’ve ever been through something traumatic, you know that healing isn’t linear. It looks different every day,” he shared. “We have had to rethink for ourselves what is real and what matters. It’s our family, our friends, our community, who have been there for us, and our faith.”
The actor and filmmaker also said the difficult period has strengthened their relationship and faith.
“We’ve grown closer, more devoted, and steadfast in our faith than we’ve ever been,” Justin said.
Emily concluded by saying that while there is much more they hope to share in the future, their immediate focus is on spending time with their children and continuing their healing journey.
All About Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively’s Legal Battle
The legal dispute began in December 2024 when Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and others associated with It Ends With Us, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation during the making and promotion of the film.
Baldoni denied the allegations and responded with a $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm, alleging defamation and breach of contract.
As the litigation progressed, a federal judge dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit, while several of Lively’s original claims were also dismissed or narrowed before trial.
The judge also ruled that Lively could recover attorneys’ fees related to Baldoni’s counterclaim, although any request for punitive or treble damages would require separate legal action.
Before the case was scheduled to go to trial in New York, both sides reached a settlement on May 4, bringing the months-long legal battle to an end.
Released in 2024, It Ends With Us, adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, starred Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who also directed the film. Despite the off-screen legal controversy, the movie became a box office success, grossing more than $350 million worldwide.