Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni‘s long legal battle has finally come to an end, leaving many shocked, especially due to the actress’s bold words about the case after most of her claims were dismissed.
Insiders have now opened up about the reason for their “last-minute deal,” revealing that the former co-stars were encouraged to sheathe their swords.
Blake Lively is also said to have left the settlement empty-handed while the attorneys involved in the legal feud enjoyed earnings worth millions of dollars.
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal war came to a screeching end on Monday as both stars reached a settlement. Sources have now told Page Six that both of them reached a “last-minute deal” after being encouraged to settle.
“They finally came to an agreement today. It was a last-minute deal,” an insider said. “The magistrate and the judge wanted to avoid this going to trial as it was going to be a long, drawn-out case, so they were encouraged to reach an agreement.”
Lively’s case was dealt a major blow after Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 out of her 13 claims against Baldoni, including sexual harassment and defamation.
However, she shared in an Instagram update at the time that she was “grateful” for the ruling, which allows “the heart” of her case to be presented to a jury when the scheduled trial kicks off May 18.
Legal Expert Says The Case Was Always Going To Get Settled
According to the news outlet, New York litigation attorney Richard C. Schoenstein explained that the case was always going to go into settlement because of the unpredictability of the jury.
“It’s not clear that a jury would like either of the litigants. It was never clear to me what either party could get out of the case,” he told Page Six. “I think [Lively] was going to have trouble proving she was retaliated against, and then I think she was going to have trouble proving damages.”
The legal expert also brought up the fact that mediation had begun since February, although the talks had been unsuccessful before Monday.
“Like many cases, I suspect they’ve been having some sort of settlement dialog for a long time,” he explained, “and this court settlement process since at least February, [leading] to the settlement now.”
He also added that it wasn’t in the best interest of both parties to head to trial because “there are facts that are embarrassing to both sides.”
Blake Lively Received No Money From The Settlement, Sources Reveal
The legal war between Lively and Baldoni seems not to have benefited the actress financially, as sources revealed to TMZ that she received nothing in the deal.
According to the news outlet, Lively brought in a new legal firm, Susman Godfrey, to defend her case days before she and Baldoni reached a settlement.
The firm is a major litigation powerhouse with huge victories under its belt, including a $425 million verdict against Google.
However, unfortunately for Lively, the opposite was the case for her, as only the lawyers involved in the protracted legal fight walked away with a combined earning of $60 million.
Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Shared Their Pride On Featuring In ‘IEWU’
Following their settlement, Lively and Baldoni shared a statement expressing that they remain committed to upholding the objectives of their hit movie and speaking up for victims.
“The end product – the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ – is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life,” they said. “Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind.”
They continued, “We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.”
Lively and Baldoni added that they hope the settlement “brings closure” and allows everyone involved “to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”
Several internet users have taken to social media to share their “disappointment” with Baldoni agreeing to it, as many debated who emerged victorious now that it’s all over.
“Please tell me Justin got paid a ginormous amount of settlement money!!!” an X user wrote.
Someone else said, “Two years of public mud-slinging, leaked texts, press tour drama, and now suddenly ‘the movie is a source of pride for all of us’? Nah. They used survivors as the emotional shield the second the lawyers said settle.”
“While I didn’t expect the lawsuit to reach a conclusion this quickly, it’s been my opinion all along Blake Lively would never submit to get on the witness stand & be cross-examined by Freedman-somehow, someway she’d avoid it,” a third person said.
