Blake Lively first shot to fame in the mid-2000s and has since built a multi-faceted Hollywood career. Born in 1987, the Los Angeles native made her film debut as a teenager in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005). She quickly became a household name when she landed the lead role of Serena van der Woodsen on the hit teen drama Gossip Girl (2007–2012).
On the big screen Blake Lively has appeared in a string of popular films, including Ben Affleck’s crime thriller The Town (2010) and the dark comedy A Simple Favor (2018). In the latter half of the 2010s she tackled a variety of roles – from the romantic fantasy The Age of Adaline (2015) to the survival thriller The Shallows (2016) – cementing her status as a bankable star.
In 2024 Blake Lively broadened her repertoire even further. She lent her voice to a lead character (a cat) in Pixar’s animated comedy IF, and even popped up as Lady Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), which starred her husband Ryan Reynolds. But most notably, Blake Lively took center stage in the August 2024 romance-drama It Ends with Us, playing Lily Bloom opposite director/co-star Justin Baldoni.
The novel-based film was a box-office success, grossing roughly $148 million domestically and $350 million worldwide. (By comparison, It Ends with Us became one of the biggest romantic dramas in years.) The film’s critical success and haunting subject matter kept Blake Lively in the headlines – not only for her performance, but for what happened off-screen afterward.
Personal Life: Marriage, Kids, and Personal Stats
Off-screen, Blake Lively has led a fairly private family life. She married fellow actor Ryan Reynolds in September 2012. The pair met on the set of the superhero film Green Lantern (2011) and quickly became inseparable. Today Lively and Reynolds are one of Hollywood’s top couples: the British-born Reynolds (now 6′2″) and the American-born Lively (about 5′10″ tall) together command enormous star power.
(Image Source: Yahoo)
As of late 2025, Lively is 38 years old (born Aug. 25, 1987), and she and Reynolds have four children. According to published reports, their kids are three daughters – James, Inez, and Betty – and a son named Olin. (Ryan Reynolds and Lively have kept their family life mostly out of the limelight, though Betty’s birth was quietly announced in 2019 and Olin’s in 2023.)
Living in New York most of the time, the couple raises their children away from media attention. Lively’s height and fashion sense often draw notice – she is frequently described as statuesque on the red carpet – but she largely steers clear of social media. As of mid-2024, Lively’s personal net worth is estimated around $30 million (not counting her husband’s earnings, which are far higher). Together they form one of Hollywood’s wealthiest partnerships, having parlayed acting salaries and savvy investments into a comfortable fortune.
Taylor Swift Connection: Friendship and Soundtracks
Outside of acting and motherhood, Blake Lively is known for her high-profile friendships – perhaps none more public than her close relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift. Lively and Swift have been seen together for years, and Swift’s influence even surfaces in Lively’s work. For example, It Ends with Us’s official soundtrack includes Swift’s 2020 song “My Tears Ricochet,” a collaboration Lively helped arrange. In fact, Lively once sought to keep private her communications with Taylor Swift about the film, but a New York judge rejected that request.
In June 2025, court documents revealed that Blake Lively had moved to shield her text messages with Taylor Swift (a longtime friend) from discovery in the Baldoni case – a motion the judge denied. (The ruling noted that My Tears Ricochet was featured in the movie, but declined to bar the evidence.) In short, while Lively and Swift are friends and creative collaborators, Swift herself has remained outside of the legal fray.
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It Ends with Us Legal Feud: Allegations and Counterclaims
The buzz over It Ends with Us quickly escalated into one of Hollywood’s biggest off-screen dramas. In late December 2024, four months after the film’s release, Blake Lively filed formal complaints accusing Justin Baldoni of serious misconduct. First came a civil rights complaint in California (Dec 20, 2024) and then a federal lawsuit in New York (Dec 31, 2024) alleging that Baldoni had subjected her to “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” on set.
Blake Lively’s filings charged that Justin Baldoni made inappropriate personal comments, sent unwanted advances, even added a graphic sex scene to the script without her consent. She said Baldoni and some of his colleagues then launched a “sophisticated press and digital plan” to retaliate when she complained. The very next day, The New York Times published an exposé quoting alleged messages from Baldoni’s team (such as “we will destroy her” and “you know we can bury anyone”) that Lively had included in her complaint. Lively later told the press her goal was to “pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics” and protect others who speak up about misconduct.
Justin Baldoni and his lawyers immediately vehemently denied the claims. In a public statement he called Lively’s allegations “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious”. He countered by filing his own lawsuit in January 2025 – a $400 million civil suit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and others. That countersuit accused Lively of extortion and defamation, claiming she had hijacked the film from its original producers.
Baldoni’s complaint even alleged that Lively had “stole Wayfarer’s movie, hijacked Wayfarer’s premiere, destroyed plaintiffs’ reputations and livelihood, and aimed to drive [them] out of business”. In short, Justin Baldoni portrayed the dispute as a bitter business conflict. Both sides filed lawsuits within days of each other, and the stage was set for a months-long legal battle.
Courtroom Showdown: Justin Baldoni’s $400M Case Dismissed
The legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively officially came to an end on October 31, 2025, when U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman signed a final order concluding Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit. The case had first been dismissed back on June 9, 2025, with the court granting Lively’s motions to throw out all defamation and extortion claims. Judge Liman had allowed Baldoni until June 23 to amend certain parts of his complaint, but his legal team failed to meet the deadline.
According to PEOPLE, the judge reached out again on October 17 to confirm his intent to close the case after no new filings were made, and only Lively’s team responded—requesting that the final judgment be entered while keeping her motion for legal fees active.
Lively’s attorneys celebrated the move as “a complete vindication,” calling Baldoni’s multimillion-dollar lawsuit “a sham” that the court “saw right through.” Reports from ABC News and CBS News echoed that the court found Baldoni’s claims legally unsupported and that much of Lively’s original filing—including her allegations of on-set harassment—was protected speech. Lively herself posted an emotional message on social media, describing the outcome as a “defeat of intimidation” and offering support to women without the same legal resources. The New York Times, which had also been named in Baldoni’s failed defamation claims, praised the decision as a reaffirmation of press freedom.
By the time the October 31 order was signed, Baldoni and his co-plaintiffs had let the amendment window expire, marking the official end of the $400 million case. Lively’s representatives reaffirmed that the ruling was “a total victory,” and though Baldoni’s lawyers hinted at exploring “other legal avenues,” the dismissal rendered the countersuit fully closed. As of late 2025, the court’s decision leaves Blake Lively unchallenged by her former co-star’s legal claims—a decisive legal and reputational win.
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Net Worth and Entrepreneurial Ventures
Blake Lively’s earnings come not only from acting but also from savvy business moves. As noted, her personal net worth is around $30 million. (Ryan Reynolds’s fortune is much larger, so the combined Reynolds-Lively wealth is estimated in the hundreds of millions.) The celebrity finance site Celebrity Net Worth notes that her annual salary on hit shows like Gossip Girl was high, and her movie paychecks have been equally lucrative. But Lively has also poured energy into other ventures.
In recent years Blake Lively has become known as an entrepreneur and lifestyle brand creator. In 2021 she launched Betty Buzz, a line of botanical sparkling mixers, and in 2023 she introduced Betty Booze, a spiked alcoholic sibling brand. These beverage startups reflect Lively’s interest in healthy living and clean ingredients, and they contribute to her off-screen income. She also commands money through endorsements (for fashion and beauty brands) and real estate investments. In short, her savvy business side helps explain why financial outlets list her as a multi-millionaire.
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Recent News and Future Outlook
With the Baldoni case behind her, Blake Lively has resumed focusing on her career and causes. In 9th June 2025, just hours after the judge’s ruling was announced, she appeared at the Chanel Artists Dinner during the Tribeca Film Festival wearing a white lace Chanel dress. Photographers noted that the 37-year-old (as she was then) was smiling and in good spirits, posing for pictures with co-stars and fans.
(Image Source: People.com)
That same day Lively took to Instagram to reflect on her ordeal. In an emotional Story post she thanked supporters and listed several women’s rights organizations, writing that although her own “retaliatory lawsuit” was defeated, she remains “more resolved than ever” to help those without resources. She concluded, “With love and gratitude…I will never stop appreciating or advocating for you.”
On the entertainment front, Lively is staying busy. In 2024 she proved her versatility: voicing a character in the animated film IF and playing a brief role in Deadpool & Wolverine (once again alongside husband Ryan Reynolds). Industry reports suggest she has more projects in development (Deadline even confirmed that Lionsgate is banking on her for a new romantic-comedy titled The Survival List). Whatever roles she picks, fans know Blake Lively will be part of them – whether she’s front and center on the screen or quietly making headlines behind the scenes.
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