Why Justin Baldoni's wife says the past two years were 'disguised as a fight for women'

Highlights Emily Baldoni has shared her strongest public comments since the legal dispute surrounding It Ends With Us ended. She said gratitude for the support they received did not erase the "injustice", pain and trauma the family experienced. Justin Baldoni said the couple deliberately stayed silent throughout the legal proceedings to avoid adding to the public debate. Emily Baldoni has delivered one of the most striking remarks to emerge from the aftermath of the It Ends With Us legal battle, saying the past two years left her questioning how events unfolded "disguised as a fight for women". Speaking publicly for the first time since the legal dispute concluded, Emily and husband Justin Baldoni reflected on the emotional toll of the case in a video posted on Instagram, saying they chose not to speak while the proceedings were ongoing. Emily Baldoni questions what unfolded While expressing gratitude for those who supported the family, Emily said those feelings did not erase what she described as the injustice and pain they had experienced. She said the couple had struggled to understand how the situation developed, adding that it was particularly difficult to reconcile what happened when it appeared to be framed as a fight for women's rights. Emily also described the experience as traumatic, saying there was still much for the couple to process before they were ready to speak more openly. Justin explains why the couple stayed silent Justin Baldoni said he and Emily had often discussed responding publicly over the past two years but ultimately decided against it. He said they did not want to add to the public "noise" surrounding the dispute and instead believed the justice system should be allowed to run its course. Reflecting on the aftermath, Baldoni said healing had been an ongoing process rather than something that happened overnight. He credited family, close friends, community and faith with helping them through the difficult period. The couple, who married in 2013, said the experience had strengthened both their relationship and their faith. How the It Ends With Us dispute concluded The legal battle began in December 2024 when Blake Lively sued Baldoni and others involved with It Ends With Us , alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni denied the allegations and later filed a countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane and her PR firm, alleging defamation and breach of contract. That countersuit was later dismissed. Ahead of trial, only a limited number of retaliation-related claims remained before both parties reached a settlement on May 4. Following the agreement, lawyers representing both sides issued a joint statement saying they hoped the resolution would allow everyone involved to move forward while reaffirming their commitment to workplaces free from inappropriate conduct. Wayfarer Studios' attorney Bryan Freedman later described the settlement as a "total victory" for his clients. A subsequent court filing stated that Lively dismissed her remaining claims without Wayfarer paying any share of the £220 million in damages she had sought. A federal judge has since ruled that Lively may seek attorneys' fees relating to Baldoni's countersuit, while any claim for punitive or treble damages would need to be pursued separately. It Ends With Us , directed by and starring Baldoni alongside Lively, was adapted from Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel by Christy Hall. The romantic drama went on to earn more than £258 million at the worldwide box office.