Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily, have spoken publicly for the first time in roughly two years about the legal battle with actress Blake Lively, describing the period as one marked by "injustice" and "trauma". In a lengthy video posted to Instagram on Wednesday night, the couple said they had long wanted to speak but had repeatedly held back until it felt like the right moment. The move matters because it reopens a bitter, high-profile Hollywood dispute that had drawn extensive media attention.

The conflict originated during the production and promotion of the 2024 film "It Ends With Us". In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint and later a federal lawsuit alleging that Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and then orchestrated a campaign to damage her reputation; Baldoni denied this and countersued Lively, Ryan Reynolds, The New York Times and others for defamation and extortion. After a year of public filings, leaked texts and subpoenas, the two sides reached a confidential settlement in May 2026 with no admission of wrongdoing or damages paid. The only outstanding matter is Lively's request for around $8 million in legal costs, which Baldoni is contesting.