India, June 13 -- Actor Blake Lively was able to secure a minor victory over fellow actor and director Justin Baldoni in court over their now-settled legal claims over their 2024 film, It Ends With Us. A US judge ruled on Friday that Blake can recover some legal costs from Baldoni, but not punitive damages and other relief she sought.

Judge Lewis J. Liman said in a written decision that Lively can recover legal fees and costs related to her defence against a countersuit Baldoni brought against her after she sued him in December 2024. The judge cited a California law designed to protect survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits meant to intimidate and silence victims.

The law requires that the plaintiff ...