How Is Justin Baldoni Doing Now? Actor Spotted With Wife and Kids at DWTS After Blake Lively Legal Battle

Justin Baldoni has made a rare public appearance with his wife, Emily, and their two children, months after settling his legal dispute with Blake Lively. The actor was seen cheering with his family during Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday, 13 October, after Maura Higgins and professional dancer Mark Ballas performed the opening routine of the Super Bowl-themed episode. The sighting offers a fresh update after Baldoni said in July that he and Emily were healing from a difficult period.

Baldoni Attends DWTS With His Family

Baldoni, Emily and their children, Maiya, 11, and Maxwell, eight, were in the audience for the episode. He is also a longtime friend of co-host Julianne Hough, who appeared in his documentary series My Last Days. According to reports, the family attended the show as guests of Hough, making the appearance a personal visit rather than an announced promotional event.

What Baldoni Said About Healing

In a joint Instagram video posted on 8 July, Baldoni and Emily spoke publicly about the strain they had experienced during the legal dispute. Asked how they were doing, Baldoni said, 'We are healing', adding that healing after trauma 'isn't linear' and can look different every day.

He said the experience had made them rethink what was real and what mattered most, pointing to their family, friends, community and faith. Emily said their gratitude did not erase the 'injustice and the pain' they felt.

How the Blake Lively Legal Battle Ended

The dispute arose during the production of It Ends With Us, the 2024 film directed by Baldoni and starring Lively. In December 2024, Lively alleged sexual harassment and retaliation connected to the film's production. Baldoni denied wrongdoing and later filed a $400 million (£301.4 million) lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane, accusing them of defamation and other claims.

A federal judge dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit in June 2025. In April 2026, the judge dismissed 10 of Lively's 13 claims, including her sexual harassment claims and claims against Baldoni. The judge allowed a retaliation claim against Wayfarer Studios and It Ends With Us Movie LLC, an aiding-and-abetting retaliation claim against The Agency Group PR LLC, and a contract-rider claim against It Ends With Us Movie LLC to proceed. The parties settled their remaining litigation in May 2026, avoiding a trial. The settlement was not a court finding that either side's disputed allegations were true or false.

Legal Fees and Career Developments

On 12 June, a federal judge ruled that Lively could recover reasonable legal fees tied to defending against Baldoni's dismissed defamation claim. On 26 August, the judge awarded her about $407,000 (£306,700), comprising $363,000 (£273,500) in legal fees and $44,000 (£33,200) in costs. Lively had sought more than $8 million (£6.03 million), but the judge reduced the request after finding that the time claimed for certain work was excessive or insufficiently justified. The award concerned the dismissed defamation claim, not every aspect of the dispute.

Baldoni's appearance does not itself signal a career comeback. A separate professional update came through a report by Page Six that he had reunited with former Jane the Virgin co-star Gina Rodriguez to produce her directorial debut, House of Guerrero, through Wayfarer Studios. That reported project offers context about his work, while his July comments and the family's DWTS outing remain the clearest recent public updates.