Justin Baldoni vs Blake Lively: Fight Over $8M Legal Fees

Justin Baldoni is pushing back against Blake Lively's demand that he pay over $8 million to cover her legal expenses in their ongoing legal war. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Baldoni and his Wayfarer team argue the amount is wildly inflated and not backed by credible evidence.

In a motion filed by attorney Bryan Freedman, Baldoni's legal team claims Lively's request includes fees for investigating her own potential perjury related to her California CRD claim and for a Rule 11 motion that the court already denied. They argue Lively is trying to make Baldoni pay for legal work that goes far beyond defending his defamation lawsuit.

As an alternative, Baldoni's lawyers propose slashing the amount from $8 million to a six-figure sum if the judge decides to award any fees at all. They call Lively's request 'bloated and unsupported.'

A source close to Blake Lively counters that the argument about fees being recoverable only on the defamation claim contradicts the statutory language. The source says the statute refers to 'successful defense of the litigation,' not just the claim, and that Baldoni's team ignores this because they know they're wrong. The source also notes that the judge consolidated the cases, which is undisputed.

The fee dispute stems from a judge dismissing Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit and ruling that Lively is entitled to recover attorney's fees tied to defeating that claim. Earlier, in May, the parties settled the rest of their years-long legal battle, avoiding trial on Lively's remaining breach of contract and retaliation claims.

This fight is just another chapter in the high-profile feud between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively over the film 'It Ends With Us.' The legal battle has captured industry attention, and the court's decision on fees could set a precedent for similar cases in Hollywood.

It remains unclear when the judge will rule on the motion. But one thing is certain: even after the main dispute was settled, the fight over legal fees continues to fuel public interest in the story. Fans and media are closely watching every move, anticipating the outcome.