Justin Baldoni Makes First Public Appearance Since Blake Lively Settlement — Spotted at DWTS With Wife and Kids
Photo: SAMHSA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Justin Baldoni is back in the spotlight. The actor made his first high-profile public appearance since settling his explosive legal battle with Blake Lively — and he brought the whole family.
On Tuesday night, Baldoni attended Dancing With the Stars' first-ever Super Bowl Night taping with wife Emily, 42, and their two kids — Maiya, 11, and Maxwell, 8. The family was briefly shown on camera applauding after Maura Higgins' Rihanna-inspired tango.
According to Page Six, the outing came at the invitation of longtime family friend Julianne Hough, who co-hosts the show. Baldoni and Hough go way back — he directed her in his 2016 documentary series "My Last Days."
The appearance marks a major moment in Baldoni's comeback. His legal war with "It Ends With Us" co-star Lively began in December 2024, when she accused him of sexual harassment and a smear campaign. He fired back with a $400 million countersuit against Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds — dismissed by a federal judge in June 2025.
The two settled out of court in May 2026, weeks before trial. In August, Lively was awarded roughly $407,000 in legal fees — far less than the $8 million she sought.
In July, the Baldonis posted a joint Instagram video admitting there had been "a lot of trauma for us to move through as a family" and that they're now prioritizing "healing."
Hollywood gossip watchers are calling this DWTS outing his soft launch back into public life — and the family-man image couldn't be more deliberate.