Justin Baldoni‘s Lawyer has broken his silence on Blake Lively‘s request for damages.

This comes after it was announced that the Hollywood stars have finally settled their nearly two-year-long battle. The battle, which seemingly ended with them, took another turn when she requested for money due to damages under a California anti-retaliation law after Baldoni’s defamation suit against her was dismissed. 

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have been at loggerheads in court since 2024 after the actress sued her co-star with claims of sexual harassment, defamation, and more. As that door closes, a window with new claims has opened for the “It Ends With Us” costars.

Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Says Blake Lively’s Money Move Is ‘Nonsense’

Baldoni’s Lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has addressed the recent filings Lively made in court on May 7, claiming she suffered “harm” from her co-star and his studio’s defamation action.

He expressed that he was surprised by the opposing counsel’s legal motion, which came just three days after they had reached a settlement. Freedman said that in his opinion, Lively and her legal team have “their own interpretation of what they think is the law.”

He explained that the standard of what is left in the case would be a procedural motion, but the actress does not want to back down and accept her loss in stride. The lawyer stressed that Lively’s attempt to parade a loss as a victory seems like “more nonsense”.

The Actress Was Slammed For Her Inability To ‘Take Responsibility’

Speaking further with Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, May 7, Freedman said, “I think it’s impossible for Ms. Lively to take responsibility for any part of her actions,” he added. “If one can’t see themselves, one can’t honestly, realistically, look at their part in things; it makes for a troubled existence.”  

Baldoni’s legal rep was asked if the director had considered a payout just to put the matter to bed, and while Freedman stressed that he would not want to reveal his client’s confidences, Baldoni has stated that he would never settle the case.

He reiterated later in the interview that Lively has yet to look in the mirror and take responsibility for her own actions.

Why Did Blake Lively Ignite Another Move?

The “Gossip Girl” actress claimed that she was “entitled” to receive damages because of the “harm” she suffered as a result of what she described as “retaliatory defamation action” by Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios in their legal battle over the production of the 2024 film.

She also requested “reasonable attorney’s fees and costs for successfully defending [herself] in the litigation, treble damages for the harm caused by the Wayfarer Parties’ retaliatory ‘defamation action’ against her, and punitive damages sufficient to deter the Wayfarer Parties from engaging in such conduct in the future.” 

The legal brawl began in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, stating 13 claims, including for sexual harassment, retaliation, and breach of contract. Baldoni countersued his on-screen love interest for $400 million, but his lawsuit was completely dismissed in June 2025.

The ‘Gossip Girl’ Alum’s Legal Team Viewed The Settlement As A Victory

The on-screen lovebirds turned rivals, settled their case on Monday, just weeks before they were scheduled to testify in court. They both waived their right to appeal the judge’s final ruling and would not go to trial later this month as initially planned. Lively’s attorneys, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, described the settlement as a “resounding victory” for the actress. 

“And by admitting that Ms. Lively’s concerns’ deserved to be heard,’ the defendants have ended once and for all the fiction that Ms. Lively ‘fabricated’ claims of sexual harassment and retaliation,” their statement explained. The Blast reported that insiders close to the actress shared that pursuing this case for nearly two years was never fueled by financial motives.

They explained that she aimed to expose actors in the industry who harm others, and she intentionally did not settle until achieving her goal by exposing documents tied to the alleged smear campaign. The sources noted that the actress’s actions paved the way to “protect survivors from retaliatory lawsuits.”

Justin Baldoni’s Friend Recently Rose To His Defense

A close friend of Baldoni, who also appeared in “It Ends With Us,” broke their silence on the legal battle, noting the overwhelming effect it had on the director. Adam Mondschein expressed his thoughts while appearing on Piers Morgan’s “Unscensored” show, stating that while he feels sorry for the actress, the legal feud had been “hurting” his friend.

“I have very firm feelings about the actions that she took, and she hurt my friend and has been hurting my friend,”  he shared after hinting that he was glad the battle had come to an end. The Blast reported that Mondschein disclosed that the case had taken a toll on his pal emotionally and had affected his career in the industry.

Apparently, the case had stretched Baldoni to his wits’ end. His lawyer revealed after the settlement that the actor was no longer involved in the litigation by the time discussions began surrounding the settlement. Freedman said that even though he was glad it was over, “he just looks at it as a logical ending to a case that he was already out of.” 

Will the result of Blake Lively’s request prove Justin Baldoni’s lawyer right?