The settlement that ended Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively's blockbuster legal war began with an unexpected Friday night phone call.Justin Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, told Fox News Digital that he received an "out of the blue" call from opposing counsel requesting mediation, setting in motion the settlement that ultimately ended Baldoni and Lively's explosive feud.Freedman said the agreement allowed his clients to publicly discuss court rulings that dismissed many of the claims against them after months of intense scrutiny."I think when you settle a case and your client was sued for 15 claims, of which two are dismissed by the other side voluntarily, 10 of the remaining 13 are dismissed by the court — and those involve sexual harassment and defamation — I think it's really important that the clients be able to speak about that," Freedman said."Because otherwise, you know, they're forever branded as being accused and responsible for that," he emphasized.
"And it was important that they be able to speak about the fact that in summary judgment that the court dismissed those claims against them and that they paid nothing for the remaining claims to be resolved."JUSTIN BALDONI ATTORNEY RIPS BLAKE LIVELY AFTER JUDGE AWARDS LIMITED ATTORNEY FEESAn "out of the blue" phone call led to the settlement between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, according to Baldoni's lawyer.(Getty Images)Baldoni and Lively first became embroiled in a legal back-and-forth after filming the Colleen Hoover-adapted film, "It Ends With Us." The "Gossip Girl" actress claimed she experienced sexual harassment on set and sued Baldoni in December 2024.Lively detailed allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, intentional affliction of emotional distress, negligence and more against Baldoni and film producer Jamey Heath in a complaint first filed with the California Civil Rights Department and later in federal court.Baldoni insisted that Lively had "falsely" accused him in an attempt to re...