Blake Lively vs. Baldoni: Who Actually Won?

Blake Lively settled her lawsuit against director Justin Baldoni on May 4, 2026 — then walked the Met Gala red carpet hours later, and that image is either a power move or an open question, depending on where you stand. Hosts Becca and Miles trace the full arc of the case: the December 2024 civil rights complaint, the New York Times exposé alleging a coordinated PR smear campaign, and the legal chain reaction that followed. They examine why Judge Liman dismissed ten of Lively's thirteen claims — including sexual harassment — on procedural grounds, what that ruling reveals about legal protections for performers working as independent contractors, and what a no-money, no-apology settlement actually means for both sides. The alleged digital influence operation targeting Lively, the 107 creator subpoenas, and the shared PR firm connecting this case to Johnny Depp and Amber Heard all get scrutinized. Becca and Miles disagree sharply on whether Lively's subpoena strategy helped or hurt her — and neither of them fully agrees on who, if anyone, came out ahead.