Entertainment

The real $60M winners from Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni’s career immolation — and whether either can ever come back

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After 18 months of bare-knuckle brawling, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal saga ended with a whimper. The two sides settled their claims on Monday afternoon, exactly two weeks before Lively’s $400 million lawsuit against Baldoni was poised to hit a New York courtroom.

To be clear, there were no winners at the end of this fight unless you count the four high-priced attorneys — Bryan Freedman, Ellyn Garofalo, Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson — who signed the joint statement released after the high-profile parties settled. And Lively and Baldoni certainly are leaving the fray with significantly lighter wallets. Sources tell Page Six Hollywood that the pair spent $60 million combined to sue and countersue one another. That’s a lot of money for what ended in a stalemate and potential career immolation. Reps for Lively and Baldoni did not respond to a request for comment.

Across the industry Monday, some top executives and producers with ties to the dispute were breathing a sigh of relief as they would no longer be required to testify in the case that was shaping up to be an even bigger media circus than the 2022 Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial. “I was very scared of the backlash,” said one source who was scheduled to testify.

To put that $60 million figure into context, that could finance two additional sequels of the hit movie. In fact, “It Ends With Us” cost about $25 million and earned $351 million. Baldoni, who financed the domestic violence-themed film, held the rights to a prequel, also based on a best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover. But that film will likely never be made after the legal war between Baldoni and Lively.

Sources say neither side can discuss the terms of the settlement, but both are free to speak to the press about anything else involving the drama that tarnished the careers of both Lively and Baldoni.

The sheer volume of embarrassing exchanges and footage released since Lively filed the first complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department — which alleged she was sexually harassed on set by her director/co-star, and was then the victim an alleged smear campaign — could fill a lower-rent Smithsonian. But that complaint, which morphed into a federal lawsuit against Baldoni, lost momentum over the ensuing 18 months, culminating with Judge Lewis Liman throwing out the sexual harassment claim in April.

Lively’s only path to victory in a courtroom rested on a smear campaign allegation that her side had dubbed “untraceable,” and Judge Liman was pressuring both sides to settle the matter and not waste the court’s time.

Now that the case is over, Lively and Baldoni will look to pick up the pieces of their respective careers. (Lively seemed unfazed as she posed for photos on the Met Gala red carpet hours after the settlement was announced). Folks across the industry, including top executives and agents, were weighing in with their opinions on who had done more damage to their career, and opinions were split this week.

“Justin doesn’t have enough value in the market to overcome the suspicion that he may have created an unsafe set. I’m not sure he could cast a movie right now,” one high-level female studio exec told us.

“Blake will have to take a break and take a cut on her first paycheck, but she’s still a movie star.”

Added another female executive: “They both did major damage, but because she’s so established I think she stands a chance of re-emerging better than he does. I would struggle to hire both of them, but I would gamble on her. There’s a pretty big downside for both of them, but the upside is bigger for her.”

Baldoni, who recently sold his house in Ojai and has since moved to Nashville with his family, has several advantages according to sources. He is now considered more of a director than an actor, and most people don’t pay attention or even care who’s the person behind the camera. His Wayfarer Studios can finance its own projects, and backed Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut “Eleanor the Great,” which was released last year without any circus surrounding his involvement as an executive producer (Johansson was previously married to Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds, who also got hit in the Baldoni legal crossfire. Hollywood reporters had a field day once they got their hands on text messages in discovery showing the A-lister allegedly putting pressure on execs at Sony, which released “It Ends With Us.”)

Lively faces some challenges moving ahead: As a leading actor who has proven that she can open a film, her return might be more fraught as she’ll need to win support of a director, studio or financier. “I think she can be in some TV show,” said a male executive. “But she’s hurt the worst since he can finance his own movies.”

Another male manager said, “Most of Hollywood knows what’s up. Yeah, maybe he’s a weirdo, but he didn’t commit any crime. Blake did this to herself whether they will admit it or not.”

Hoover, for one, emerges from the drama unscathed — and not having to testify. Amazon MGM has extremely high hopes for the psychological thriller “Verity,” which opens on Oct. 2. That film, top-lined by Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, is based on another Hoover best seller.

Lively and Baldoni’s joint statement that ended the case read: “The end product — the movie ‘It Ends With Us’ — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind. We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard. We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”

Entertainment

Kylie Jenner wants ‘bigger and more out there’ implants after sharing exact boob job specs

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Keeping up with Kylie Jenner’s plastic surgery plans.

The “Kardashians” star confessed on the “Better Half With Stas and Vic” podcast Wednesday that she wants “bigger and more out there” breast implants.

“I do want them bigger,” the makeup mogul, 29, confirmed to co-hosts Anastasia Karanikolaou and Victoria Villarroel. “I say it every day.”

Jenner confirmed, “I want my tits to walk in before I do.”

The reality star’s pals confirmed she has been talking about sizing up her “for the past year,” with Karanikolaou, also 29, quipping, “She has, like, an obsession with big tits.”

Jenner chimed in, “Love tits.”

As for when she’ll go under the knife, Karanikolaou pointed out that Jenner initially wanted to get the procedure done before her 29th birthday earlier this month.

The Kylie Cosmetics creator said she “probably” wouldn’t do it before turning 30 either — but will get her belly button pierced “just to experience it.”

She said, “I want diamonds dripping from my belly button. Dripping everywhere.”

Jenner’s comments come one year after she went viral for sharing the exact details of her boob job in a TikTok comment after a social media user asked how she obtained the “most perfect, natural” chest and got “them to sit like that, respectfully.”

In June 2025, Jenner replied, “445 cc, moderate profile, half under the muscle!!!!! silicone!!! … Hope this helps lol.”

445 cc is estimated to be between a D and DD cup depending on the starting breast size, per London’s Centre for Surgery, and a moderate profile is meant to appear the most natural.

Jenner went on to name-drop her surgeon, Dr. Garth Fisher, which she said on Wednesday’s episode has led to people calling the office “all the time … asking for [her] information.”

Additionally, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” alum confirmed she singlehandledly runs her social media accounts.

“It’s just me,” she told listeners. “When I post things, I never really run it by anyone. I’m also doing Kylie Cosmetics and Khy, those Instagrams.”

However, Jenner plans to “hand it off” to someone next year in order to “relax” since it “consumes a lot of [her] time.”

Jenner also hit back at rumors she and Karanikolaou are on the outs after the latter made headlines for missing her birthday bash.

Page Six, notably, reported last week that the duo are “still friends” and “just haven’t been hanging out as much as they used to.”

The Hulu personality laughed off the rampant speculation they’re no longer pals on Wednesday, saying, “I think it’s funny. I just really don’t care.”

Entertainment

Rachel Reilly wants ‘Survivor’ players to ‘steamroll’ on ‘Big Brother 28’

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Rachel Reilly wants Dee Valladares and Rick Devens to succeed on “Big Brother 28” — even if that means “Survivor” players will have bragging rights for life.

Reilly expressed her support for the “Survivor” duo while speaking exclusively to Page Six alongside fellow “Big Brother” alums Britney Haynes and Danielle Reyes to celebrate the latter show’s 1,000th episode airing Thursday.

“I kind of want them to steamroll it, because I feel like if Dee and Devens can outwit, outplay, outlast these people, and if they can win competitions and use their powers at the right time, I’m hoping that for future seasons if we do see another ‘Survivor’ player or if we see any more returnees, that we have more of an outright battle from the beginning,” Reilly shared.

The “Big Brother 13” winner noted that Valladares, 29, and Devens, 42, have been able to dominate alongside “Big Brother 26” alum Angela Murray thanks to some of the tattle-tale newbies.

“We see Drew [Campbell] and Barrett [Pfeiffer] this season going and reporting information to the ‘Icons’ — like what is that all about?” she said.

“So I think the fact that they’re able to outplay these people so easily… I give them props. You have to give it to the gamer.”

Reyes, however, feels differently.

“If you’re ‘Big Brother’ alumni, we do not want them to win,” the Season 3 runner-up told us. “We want to see them play the game, but we don’t want them to win because that’s our kingdom.”

“We don’t want them to come into our ‘Big Brother’ house and win, when we have this inner struggle of what’s the harder show, ‘Big Brother’ or ‘Survivor?’ So that’s where I stand in watching these two play this game.”

Haynes agreed she’s rooting against Valladares and Devens because of the unspoken “rivalry” between “Big Brother” and “Survivor” players.

“Winning both shows, which Dee the potential to do, that is something that has never been done,” Haynes told us. “So of course, there’s that piece of you that wants the ‘Big Brother’ person to be the first one to do it.”

Mixing veteran players with new contestants has happened before on “Big Brother,” including in Season 14, which saw Season 10 winner Dan Gheesling lose to newbie Ian Terry in a controversial jury vote that fans still debate today.

But Haynes, who voted for Terry to win despite being a returner that season, doesn’t think there will be as much resentment against the Season 28 vets.

“The difference was that sentiment was spread through the house the very first week,” Haynes explained. “I haven’t really seen the same type of communal uprising on ‘Big Brother 28.’”

Looking toward the future, Reilly, Reyes and Haynes all believe CBS should keep bringing players back in some capacity.

“I would love to see some of the more recent players come back and play against other people from other seasons, even sprinkling in some like really old-school players,” Reilly said. “I think that would be so much fun.”

Reilly added, “I think they could do a legends season for like three weeks or something like that. I mean, I would go for that. But for a whole summer, I would absolutely love to see a full All-Star season.”

Echoing Reilly’s opinion, Reyes name-dropped Season 2’s Monica Bailey and Season 3’s Lisa Donahue — who beat her in the final jury vote— as deserving returners.

“I would love to see Lisa play again. I think people don’t give her flowers for what she did,” Reyes explained.

“And I know people are like, ‘Oh, Dani, you should have won the game.’ But I would love to see Lisa come in and cement her legacy in ‘Big Brother. “I would love for them to give her a chance and to play the game again.”

“Big Brother 28” airs every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and is available to stream the next day on Paramount+.

Entertainment

Dolly Parton remembered by military and veteran community for decades of supporting troops

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Dolly Parton wore rhinestones and fringe, not a military uniform, but the American music legend spent decades finding her own ways to serve those who served America.

Parton, who died Tuesday at 80 in Nashville, forged a lasting connection with the military during her seven-decade career.

Her iconic blonde likeness appeared on US military aircraft, she performed for troops and military families, recorded patriotic music and once took the Grand Ole Opry stage as American service members watched from Iraq.

The connection was personal, too.

Carl Dean, Parton’s husband of nearly six decades, enlisted in the Army shortly after they began dating and served for two years, according to Biography.com.

The couple married in 1966, and remained together until Dean’s death in 2025.

Parton once described her patriotism in simple terms.

“I’ve got an all-American heart,” she told Vanity Fair in a 1991 profile.

Vanity Fair accompanied Parton to Fort Hood, Texas, for that profile, where she met service members, including soldiers who had returned from the Persian Gulf only weeks earlier.

The magazine also reported that Parton’s likeness appeared on a KC-135 and an A-10 Thunderbolt during the Gulf War era.

During her Fort Hood visit, Parton climbed onto the shoulders of an Army major near two M-1 tanks and delivered a pointed message to Saddam Hussein in a way only she could.

The latest news on music icon Dolly Parton’s death at 80

“Saddam Hussein, you son of a b—-!” Parton shouted, according to Vanity Fair. “You touch one of my men again and see what happens!”

Later, Parton posed for photographs with soldiers and their families and signed autographs inside a Fort Hood theater, the magazine reported.

The service members eventually began chanting: “Dol-ly! U-S-A! Dol-ly! U-S-A!”

More than a decade later, Parton’s connection with the military produced another memorable tribute.

At a September 2004 event at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Tennessee, Parton unveiled patriotic nose art bearing her likeness on a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 134th Air Refueling Wing, according to an Air National Guard photo record preserved by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

The aircraft was dubbed “Miss Dolly.” Parton autographed the artwork and performed several songs for airmen and their families at the event.

The appearance followed the release of Parton’s For God and Country on Veterans Day 2003. The album combined patriotic standards with original Parton songs.

“I’m not a bit political, but I’m extremely patriotic,” Parton said of the album, according to her official website, as cited by Military.com.

Parton’s music had addressed war and military families before that album. Military.com noted that her 1970 song “Daddy Won’t Be Home Anymore” concerned a mother preparing to tell her children their father had died at war, while “Welcome Home,” from For God and Country, centered on a parent waiting for a son to return from overseas.

In April 2005, Parton performed during a Grand Ole Opry live broadcast in Nashville while US troops watched by video feed from Iraq, according to DVIDS.

Then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also joined Parton onstage. According to DVIDS, Rumsfeld visited Nashville to thank Parton, the Grand Ole Opry and the American people for supporting US troops.

Parton’s work with military families continued later in her career. She participated in a virtual USO program in December 2022 that allowed service members around the world and their families to speak with her and ask questions, according to Military.com.

Her Imagination Library also blessed military families. In 2024, the program’s Washington affiliate partnered with the Government Employees Health Association on a $15,000 grant to expand free books for young children in military families, Military.com reported.

The effort served families at Naval Base Kitsap, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Naval Station Everett.

The military community was among those mourning Parton following her death Tuesday.

Boot Campaign, a nonprofit that works with veterans and military families, remembered Parton’s support in a tribute posted to X.

“We are so heartbroken to hear of the passing of @DollyParton who used her platform to support so many, including Veterans, military families and our work at Boot Campaign,” the organization wrote. “Rest in peace, Dolly.”

The group accompanied the tribute with an image of Parton saluting while wearing camouflage pants and combat-style boots beneath the hashtag “#LaceUpAMERICA.”

The official US Marine Corps account offered an even simpler farewell Tuesday, sharing a photograph of Parton singing in camouflage.

“RIP Dolly Parton.”

Parton’s family said a small, private service will be held for immediate family at her request. Fans and friends around the world were encouraged to pay tribute to Parton on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at DollyParton.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the literacy program she founded in 1995.