Kamal Ghorui
‘It Ends With Us’ co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni surprised all when they settled their high-profile lawsuit, just two weeks before going to trial.Amid rumours that a lot of money exchanged hands in the ‘settlement’, new reports indicate that this buzz is actually far from the truth. As per a report on TMZ, and confirmed by Page Six, neither Lively nor Baldoni, received any financial compensation.According to Page Six, both sides had been negotiating for several weeks and were “encouraged to reach an agreement.” Days ahead of the last-minute settlement, Lively had enlisted high-profile law firm Susman Godfrey to strengthen her legal defence, however, they encouraged “a last-minute deal.” This settlement was reportedly reached shortly before proceedings were set to escalate in court.While Lively and Baldoni reportedly walked away with nothing from this settlement, the same could not be said for their law firms. Lively and Baldoni’s legal teams made USD 60 million combined to sue and countersue one another, sources told Page Six Hollywood.The agreement comes amid indications that the case may not have been progressing in Lively’s favour, with reports suggesting that a judge had significantly narrowed the scope of her claims against Baldoni. Last month, Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of Lively’s 13 claims against Baldoni, including sexual harassment, defamation and conspiracy.He ruled that only three of her claims could proceed: breach of contract, retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation.Representatives for both Lively and Baldoni have not publicly commented on the settlement, but issued a joint statement. “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,” both sides said and added, “Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind.”Both parties added that they “remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments” and it is their “sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were reportedly set to go on trial on May 18.
