Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been seen together in New York for the first time since a judge awarded the actress just over $407,000 in legal fees following her dispute with Justin Baldoni.
The couple were photographed on Friday, August 28, during a family outing with Lively’s older half-sister, Robyn Lively. The actress wore brown overalls, boots and a chunky gold necklace, while Robyn was dressed in double denim.
Lively appeared to smile at times as she walked alongside her husband and sister. Reynolds, 49, looked more reserved during the outing.
The appearance came two days after US District Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled that Lively could recover $363,245.40 in legal fees and $44,206.35 in costs from the legal action brought by Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
The total award of $407,451.75 represents about 5 per cent of the more than $8 million Lively had sought. The judge said the amount of work claimed was excessive and limited the award to costs connected with defending against the defamation claims. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/1%3A2024cv10049/634304/1453/?utm_source=openai))
Lively’s lawyers had sought $8,035,040.88 in fees and costs. Judge Liman found that some billing records did not provide enough information to assess the work carried out, while other expenses related to matters outside the claim for which reimbursement was available.
Lawyers for the actress described the decision as “historic”, saying it was the first time money had been awarded under the relevant California law. Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called it a “significant victory” for his client and said Lively had received only limited fees relating to a single claim. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/b7009f05eb021697a9acd87f9f8eb362))
The legal battle over It Ends With Us
Lively sued Baldoni and Wayfarer in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment during the making of It Ends With Us and claiming that a campaign had been mounted to damage her reputation. Baldoni denied the allegations and said the complaints about his conduct were fabricated as part of an attempt to take control of the film.
Baldoni subsequently filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and others, alleging defamation and related claims. Judge Liman dismissed that action in June 2025, finding, among other things, that the defamation claim against Lively was barred by California’s fair-report privilege. ([courthousenews.com](https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/lively-baldoni-legal-fees-ruling.pdf))
The wider dispute was settled in May 2026, shortly before the case was due to go to trial. The settlement terms were not disclosed, although the agreement allowed Lively to continue seeking legal fees; no separate payment connected with the settlement was announced. ([abcnews.com](https://abcnews.com/culture/story/judge-orders-justin-baldoni-cover-blake-livelys-legal/?id=133824790))
It Ends With Us, which starred both actors and was directed by Baldoni, was released in August 2024. The film’s commercial success was overshadowed by the increasingly bitter legal dispute between its two leading performers.
