Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Dispute: It Ends with Arbitration?
By Alisha Augustine
The film adaptation of the best-selling novel, “It Ends With Us” depicts a tale of a seemingly romantic relationship turned abusive and how a woman grows beyond her experience with domestic abuse.[1] The film and novel tell the story of Lilly, Blake Lively’s character, falling in love with Ryle, Justin Baldoni’s character, and how their relationship evolves for the worse.[2] Despite the important message that the movie should be known for, it has now been caught in the cross-fire in the impending case between co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.[3] In December 2024, Lively filed a complaint against Baldoni claiming sexual harassment, retaliation, and more.[4] Shortly after, Baldoni filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of civil extortion and defamation.[5] Not only does this suit involve multiple high-profiled celebrities, but it also has become the new internet obsession with the dispute going viral on TikTok and other social media sites.[6] This dispute famously mirrors the concerns posed in the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp defamation trial.[7] Although the dispute is not between former partners, it is a highly publicized dispute that has relied on the court of public opinion and the power of social media.[8]
However, the question becomes whether a public trial is the best option for this type of dispute. Arbitration is a useful alternative dispute resolution method that encourages privacy, confidentiality, speed, and finality which has proven helpful for celebrity disputes.[9] The process is becoming more common in the industry and was used in Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault and misconduct suit.[10] With its growing popularity, arbitration can be a useful option for both parties to consider because it would try to protect both Baldoni and Lively’s reputations, maintain confidentiality, and prevent a dragged out civil lawsuit.[11] Additionally, the damage that a public trial could do to their marketability and future projects would limitless. Similarly, arbitration would prevent the danger of a hung jury.[12] Like this case, which relies so heavily on the opinions of jury members who have been exposed to media opinions, a neutral jury might be difficult to come by.[13] An arbitrator would have the expertise, neutrality, and power to come to a judgment without extra involvement from a jury.
The benefits of arbitration in this situation are overwhelming. However, it seems like an unlikely option. Currently, both parties have refused mediation and discussions to settle with their legal teams calling it “premature”.[14] Neither party seems to be worried about the time concerns.[15] It does not seem like either party is concerns about expediting the process and ending the media circus that it has caused.[16] In fact, both parties have continued to use social media to argue their claims with the court of public opinion being the ultimate decider of who has “won” or “lost”.[17] Although this dispute could end with arbitration, Lively and Baldoni are caught in a fight over who can control public opinion and “win” in the court of public opinion.[18] Only time will tell if this disput
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[1] Angeline Jane Bernabe, Everything to know about ‘It Ends With Us’ film starring Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, ABC News (July 19, 2024), https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/ends-us-film-starring-blake-lively-justin-baldoni/story?id=111763623 [https://perma.cc/KZE5-WD8E].
[2] Id.
[3] Tatiana Siegel, Justin Baldoni Files $250 Million Lawsuit Against New York Times Over Blake Lively Story: It Relied on Her ‘Self-Serving Narrative’, Variety (Dec. 21, 2024), https://variety.com/2024/film/news/justin-baldoni-sues-new-york-times-blake-lively-allegations-story-1236263099/ [https://perma.cc/8MDM-WHGX].
[4] Christina Dugan Ramirez, Johnny Depp’s attorney warns Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni face ‘real danger’ in upcoming trial, Fox News (Feb. 6, 2025), https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/johnny-depp-attorney-warns-blake-lively-justin-baldoni-face-real-danger-upcoming-trial [https://perma.cc/V84P-3X73].
[5] Id.
[6] Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively Feud Explained: Lively And Baldoni Reject Mediation, Forbes (Feb. 13, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/02/13/justin-baldoni-vs-blake-lively-feud-explained-lively-and-baldoni-reject-mediation/ [https://perma.cc/C2MN-BZXY].
[7] Dugan Ramirez, supra note 4.
[8] Id.
[9] Temitayo Bello, Entertainment Industry Disputes; Arbitration As a Catalyst to Perennial Malady (Oct. 19, 2017), https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3055732 [https://perma.cc/EBD9-QK7B].
[10] Michelle Palagi, Arbitration in the Entertainment Industry, CJCR Blog, No. 31 (Apr. 3, 2022), https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cjcr-blog/31 [https://perma.cc/LH69-2VLA].
[11] Bello, supra note 9.
[12] Dugan Ramirez, supra note 4.
[13] Id.
[14] Lauryn Overhultz, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni refuse mediation, show no signs of settling lawsuit, Fox News (Feb. 14, 2025), https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-refuse-mediation-show-no-sign-settling-lawsuit [https://perma.cc/FQJ7-6DAT].
[15] Dugan Ramirez, supra note 4.
[16] Id.
[17] Id.
[18] Arwa Mahdawi, The Baldoni-Lively legal battle has depressing echoes of Depp v Heard, The Guardian (Jan. 4, 2024), https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/04/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-depp-heard [https://perma.cc/8FWZ-ZREL].
