Key Takeaways
- WME reportedly wants mid-to-high six-figure commissions from Justin Baldoni’s It Ends with Us earnings after dropping him in December 2024 over Blake Lively’s allegations, saying it pursues “all unpaid commissions from current and former clients.”
- Industry sources question the collection effort because WME continued representing Lively and publicly backed her while agency chief Ari Emanuel mocked Baldoni.
- The dispute follows the co-stars' May settlement and coincides with Andy Signore’s documentary It Ends with Justice, which spotlights crew members who challenge parts of Lively’s account.
Justin Baldoni's former talent agency apparently wants a piece of his It Ends with Us earnings, nearly two years after publicly dropping him amid Blake Lively's sexual harassment allegations.
According to Page Six, WME is pursuing commissions worth a reported mid-to-high six figures from Baldoni's backend earnings on the 2024 film, which grossed more than $350 million worldwide. The agency severed ties with the actor-director in December 2024, shortly after Lively filed a complaint accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation. Now, with the lawsuit settled and a new documentary questioning Lively's allegations, the agency's collection effort has reportedly raised eyebrows in Hollywood.
WME general counsel Courtney Braun is reportedly overseeing the effort. The agency defended its position in a statement, saying, “As a matter of policy, we pursue all unpaid commissions from current and former clients.” It declined to discuss the specifics of Baldoni's situation.
Collecting outstanding commissions isn't unusual in Hollywood. What makes this dispute different is WME's very public handling of Baldoni's departure, particularly while continuing to represent Lively.
“WME not only fired him, [they picked] a side before anything was decided in a court,” one industry source told Page Six. “How do you fire a client publicly, then make fun of him publicly and then try to collect commissions from him after you f*cked him over like that?”
The criticism isn't coming out of nowhere. WME executive chairman Ari Emanuel previously mocked Baldoni during a 2025 appearance on Freakonomics Radio Live, referring to him as “Bologna” before correcting himself.
“It is a f*cked up, bad situation with what Bologna … Baldoni … whatever his name is … is doing,” Emanuel said.
Even after a federal judge dismissed Lively's sexual harassment claims in April, WME publicly defended the actress, praising her focus on “facts, accountability, and the right to speak up without fear of retaliation.”
The project features interviews with crew members who dispute aspects of Lively's characterization of the working environment.
“None of them saw that toxic, combative thing,” Signore said. “All the crew members were surprised when the lawsuit dropped.”
Signore also claimed he struggled to find people willing to publicly defend Lively, while several crew members described Baldoni as welcoming and respectful.
“Most of the crew felt very positive about Justin,” he said, adding that their feelings toward Lively were more mixed.
The documentary arrives after the former co-stars settled their legal battle in May, shortly before their scheduled trial. A judge had previously dismissed 10 of Lively's 13 claims, while Baldoni's $400 million countersuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds and others was also thrown out.
Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, characterized the settlement as a “total victory,” noting that Lively dismissed her remaining claims without Wayfarer Studios paying the $300 million in damages she had sought.
