Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios has been ordered by a New York judge to pay over £171,000 in legal costs to The New York Times after the production company’s defamation lawsuit failed. The ruling comes as a significant development in a legal battle centred around allegations made by actress Blake Lively regarding the film *It Ends With Us*.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/justin-baldoni-1-cbab978331d24c38894842007267102c.jpg)
On 27 July, New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits granted a summary judgment in favour of The New York Times, awarding the publication a total of £171,616.20, which includes attorney fees and additional costs. This decision was made under the state’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law, designed to protect free speech on matters of public interest.
The case originated from an investigation published by The New York Times in December 2024, titled “We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.” This report detailed serious allegations made by Lively, which included claims of sexual harassment and workplace retaliation against Baldoni and other individuals within the production of *It Ends With Us*.
In January 2025, Wayfarer Studios added The New York Times as a defendant in its now-dismissed federal lawsuit. The company contended that the newspaper had defamed them through its coverage of Lively’s allegations. However, by June 2025, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman had dismissed all claims against the newspaper, stating that they were unfounded.
After the federal dismissal, The New York Times initiated a separate lawsuit in New York, seeking the recovery of legal fees in accordance with the anti-SLAPP law, which aims to deter frivolous lawsuits. Justice Lebovits characterised Wayfarer’s claims as lacking a “substantial basis in fact and law”, affirming that the reporting by The New York Times was in the public interest.
In his ruling, Lebovits noted the significance of the case, stating, “The underlying federal action here arose from publicly posted media coverage … about a legal proceeding brought by a prominent actress.” He reinforced that coverage of Lively’s allegations constituted a matter of public interest. Moreover, the judge dismissed Wayfarer’s request to delay the proceedings while contemplating an appeal, highlighting that previous agreements made during a settlement in May 2026 had waived such rights.
The judge’s decision was accompanied by a detailed analysis, although he reduced the amount sought by The New York Times from approximately £181,622.70, determining that some legal fees accrued after the dismissal of the federal case could not be justified.
Blake Lively’s lawsuit, filed in December 2024, accused Baldoni, his studio, and additional parties of sexual harassment and retribution linked to the film’s production. Baldoni, who is 42 years old, has categorically denied these allegations. He responded with countersuits against Lively, her spouse Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloane, all of which were ultimately dismissed in court.
In May 2026, a settlement was reached between Lively, Baldoni, and the other involved parties. This agreement resulted in all claims being dismissed with prejudice and included a waiver of any rights to appeal, effectively concluding what had been a closely scrutinised legal confrontation just before it was due to go to trial.
At the time of writing, representatives for Wayfarer Studios have not yet responded to media inquiries regarding the ruling. The outcome of this legal matter serves as a significant reminder of the implications involved in high-profile allegations and the importance of safeguarding freedoms of speech in the public realm.