Blake Lively Blames ‘Mean Girl’ Label For Massive $40M Financial Blow As Justin Baldoni Trial Looms

Blake Lively claims the "mean girl" label placed on her amid her legal battle with Justin Baldoni cost her more than $40 million in damages. The Blake Lively Blames ‘Mean Girl’ Label For Massive $40M Financial Blow As Justin Baldoni Trial Looms first appeared on The Blast

Blake Lively is making good of her intentions to head to trial as she has now claimed the “mean girl” label placed on her amid her legal battle with Justin Baldoni cost her more than $40 million in damages.

Sources have shared that the “Gossip Girl” star seems to be a shadow of herself as her long-running court battle has “taken a lot” out of her.

However, despite claims of marital strain, Blake Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, was full of praise for her in a recent interview, saying he’s “never been more proud” of the actress.

Blake Lively Claims’ Mean Girl’ Label Has Cost Her Money

Lively has claimed that being labeled a “mean girl” and a “bully” over the fallout linked to her 2024 film “It Ends With Us” resulted in more than $40 million in direct reputational damages.

According to TMZ, court documents obtained as part of her ongoing $161 million lawsuit against her former costar Justin Baldoni, allege that an alleged smear campaign resulted in a wave of public backlash that hit her personal and corporate brands, resulting in the loss of a huge sum.

The actress noted that she hired an expert who discovered that there were 176 million impressions online, calling her a “mean girl,” “bully,” and “tone deaf,” with the expert valuing the damage to her personal brand equity at roughly $36.5 million to $40.5 million.

Lively is seeking $161 million in damages from Baldoni’s company, with the breakdown being $56 million in past and future earnings, $49 million in losses to her haircare company, $22 million for her Betty Buzz beverage company, and more.

The Actress’s Case Suffered A Massive Blow

The issue began in the summer of 2024 during the press tour for the Colleen Hoover book adaptation.

While the film was a notable success, rumors of a fractured cast and creative differences between Lively and Baldoni started making headlines at the time, which was seemingly compounded by resurfaced clips of past interviews where she was quite difficult.

She would later file a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of also launching a vicious smear campaign to tarnish her image.

Baldoni denies the claims and filed a countersuit against her, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloan, but his suit was dismissed in June 2025.

More recently, her case suffered a massive blow after Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 charges she leveled against him, including sexual harassment and defamation. That leaves her with just three claims to prove ahead of their trial, which kicks off on May 18 in New York.

Sources Say The Court Battle Has ‘Taken A Lot’ Out Of Blake Lively

Meanwhile, reports suggest the long-running legal fight has left the “A Simple Favor” actress a shadow of herself and has “taken a lot” out of her amid the public backlash she continues to face.

According to the Daily Mail, sources explained that the case has taken a toll on Lively, with reports even suggesting that she and Reynolds are planning to relocate to the U.K. to escape the backlash.

“I think she’s just so tired,” an insider told the news outlet. “This has taken a lot out of her. She’s just not always there when you talk to her.”

The actress herself once hinted at the toll the case had taken on her during an appearance on “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” telling host Meyers that it had been an “intense year” for her, “full of the highest highs and the lowest lows of my life.”

The Actress’s Marriage Has Allegedly Been Strained By The Legal Feud

Although Lively vowed to keep fighting, there are rumors that the case has also affected her marriage.

An insider shared that Lively and Reynolds are “not as playful as they used to be,” and that it seems like “a light has dimmed” in their relationship.

“They used to have big dinner parties, and I don’t think they’ve had them for a while now,” the source said. “I think it’s just too much for her. I don’t think they’re being very social these days. No one is saying they have problems, but they’re just preoccupied, and I think it’s all about the case. It’s stressful.”

Reynolds seemed to hit back at the rumors about their marriage when he shared how “proud” he is of Lively.

During a chat with “Today” host Willie Geist, he said, “Really, without getting into too much, I’ll just say I’ve never in my life been more proud of my wife.”

“People have no idea what’s really going on,” Reynolds continued. “And I’ve just never in my life been more proud of someone with that level of integrity that brings that with them and carries that with them in everything that they do.”

The Case Has Affected Blake Lively’s Career

There are also talks among some Hollywood circles that this is the end of Lively’s career, with a film executive earlier saying nobody will hire her now.

A source who spoke to the Daily Mail doubled down on those claims, saying Lively herself doesn’t seem to be attached to some projects she was previously tied to.

“Blake isn’t getting the offers, and there hasn’t been anywhere near the same interest in her since the Baldoni drama exploded,” a second insider said. “She’s burned bridges, and most people in the industry seem to be steering clear.”

“It definitely appears grim for her work-wise in the States, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change anytime soon either,” the insider continued. “It feels like she’s been shunned by the industry.”

The situation has now led to reports suggesting Lively and Reynolds are considering a move to the U.K. for a fresh start. However, they’ve not been able to completely figure out how to incorporate their children into it because of their school.

Reports claim they’ve already bought a house in Barnet, an upscale town on the outskirts of London, but are still exercising caution because of their kids.

“With Ryan’s huge success with Wrexham, he has a great affinity for the UK,” the source said. “Blake could rebrand there and believes there are top-of-the-line filmmakers who could give her a second chance.”

The Blake Lively Blames ‘Mean Girl’ Label For Massive $40M Financial Blow As Justin Baldoni Trial Looms first appeared on The Blast