Chelsea Handler; Justin Baldoni; Blake Lively. Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty;Gotham/WireImage;Lia Toby/Getty
Chelsea Handler took center stage at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards with her signature wit, and this time, she had Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in her comedic crosshairs. The actress and filmmaker have been embroiled in a high-profile legal battle, and Handler didn’t miss the chance to turn the drama into prime joke material.
Opening the show on Friday, February 7, Handler, 49, acknowledged the rollercoaster of news the world has been facing.
“We wake up every day not knowing what new headline is going to disappoint or horrify us,” she said. “So, it’s important to have a distraction. And for that, I want to personally thank Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.”
She added with a smirk, “I think we can all agree there probably won’t be a sequel to It Ends With Us. It ends with us, guys.”
The joke landed amid Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, making waves for their ongoing courtroom clash. Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December, accusing him of sexual harassment and launching a retaliatory smear campaign. Baldoni denied the claims and hit back in January with a massive $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 48. Lively’s legal team dismissed the suit as “meritless.”
According to Lively’s complaint, the alleged harassment and backlash have taken an “extreme” emotional toll on her and her family. Reynolds, too, has reportedly suffered mentally and professionally as a result.
With tensions high, both sides met in court for the first time on February 3 for a pre-trial hearing. The judge warned them to keep the battle out of the public eye, but with a trial set for March 2026, the drama is far from over.
Meanwhile, Handler’s Critics Choice crowd seemed to appreciate the comedic break from the legal saga. The 30th annual awards show aired live on E! from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and is available for streaming on Peacock.
