Actor Justin Baldoni and his wife, Emily, lamented the trauma and pain suffered by their family in their first public comments after a lengthy legal battle with co-star Blake Lively.

In May, Lively and Baldoni settled a lawsuit following the 2024 film Ends With Us, ending a controversial streak of accusations. The lawsuit alleges that he sexually harassed her on set and launched a retaliatory smear campaign.

“There have been so many hurtful things that have been said over the last few years,” Baldoni said in a video this week.

A judge dismissed Lively’s harassment allegations. They resolved their accusations of retaliation. Lively has said the case highlighted respectful treatment on set.

Baldoni and his wife smiled and chuckled during the nearly five-minute video posted to Instagram on Wednesday.

“We haven’t spoken publicly for most of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say,” Baldoni said. “Because God knows we have done it.

Emily added: “There has been a lot of trauma for us as a family, which also makes it difficult to talk.”

He said resolving the case seemed like the right time.

“The truth and the facts have spoken for themselves and here we are,” he said.

“We’ve had to struggle with so many things and try to understand so many things, like how could something like this happen? Let alone disguised as a fight for women.”

Lively filed the lawsuit against Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, in December 2024.

Baldoni filed a $400 million (£298.5 million) countersuit against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation and extortion.