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International Business Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
Blake Lively Makes Shocking Legal Moves after Justin Baldoni Demanded to See Her edical Records to Assess Her Emotional Distress Claims
Blake Lively is planning to drop her allegations that Justin Baldoni caused her emotional distress during the production of their 2024 film, "It Ends With Us." Court documents show Lively has filed to withdraw claims that she suffered from "intentional infliction of emotional distress" and "negligent infliction of emotional distress" related to Baldoni's alleged behavior. Her decision to drop the claims came after Baldoni's legal team asked her to sign a release form granting them access to her medical and mental health records, the New York Post reported. Baldoni's attorneys argued that access to Lively's medical records was essential to evaluate the emotional distress claims she made in her lawsuit. Lively's Shock Move "Instead of complying with the Medical RFPs, Ms. Lively's counsel recently advised us, in writing, that Ms. Lively is withdrawing her [infliction of emotional distress] Claims," Baldoni's team responded in a filing seen by Page Six. The court will decide whether or not the "Gossip Girl" star's request will be approved. In a statement to Page Six, attorneys for the Another Simple Favor actress described her filing as "a routine part of the litigation process that is being used as a press stunt." "We are doing what trial lawyers do: preparing our case for trial by streamlining and focusing it," they said, adding that Baldoni's team was "desperately seeking" media attention. "The Baldoni-Wayfarer strategy of filing retaliatory claims has exposed them to expansive new damages claims under California law, rendering certain of Ms. Lively's original claims no longer necessary," the statement continued. "Ms. Lively continues to allege emotional distress, as part of numerous other claims in her lawsuit, such as sexual harassment and retaliation, and massive additional compensatory damages on all of her claims." No End to the Drama In her bombshell sexual harassment lawsuit filed in December 2024, Lively, 37, accused Baldoni, 41, of causing her intense emotional suffering, including humiliation, embarrassment, belittlement, frustration, and mental anguish. The court documents mentioned that a "hands-on" meeting had to be arranged involving Lively, Baldoni, and the film's production team to address his alleged conduct—such as reportedly showing her nude images or videos of women and talking openly about his past addiction to pornography. Lively also claimed that Baldoni retaliated by launching a smear campaign aimed at tarnishing her image and reputation after she reported the alleged harassment. She also alleged that the ongoing situation had left her and Ryan Reynolds' four children—James (10), Inez (8), Betty (5), and Olin (2)— "traumatized." At the time, Bryan Freedman, the attorney representing the "Five Feet Apart" producer, condemned the allegations as "shameful" and completely false. "These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media," he told Page Six. In January, Baldoni responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Reynolds. In the court documents, Baldoni claimed that Lively was leveraging the influence of Reynolds and her close friend Taylor Swift to manipulate the situation in her favor. Baldoni responded to claims about discussing his past pornography addiction by saying that he only brought it up after Lively allegedly shared her own personal experience. He also claimed that Lively appeared "so close and comfortable" around him, even going so far as to breastfeed openly during meetings. Baldoni also accused Reynolds, 48, of acting aggressively during the "hands-on" meeting and claimed Reynolds demanded he apologize to Lively for actions he hadn't committed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tobias Iaconis & Mikki Daughtry Tapped To Script Monarch Media's ‘A Walk To Remember' Reboot
EXCLUSIVE: Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis (Five Feet Apart) have been set as the writers for A Walk to Remember, Monarch Media's Nicholas Sparks reboot on which we were first to report in February. A seminal coming-of-age romance, published in 1999, A Walk to Remember follows a rebellious high school senior who falls for a quiet, faith-driven girl after being forced to participate in a school play, discovering the transformative power of love, forgiveness and the beauty of living each day with purpose. More from Deadline HBO Nabs 'Baby Queen' Drama For Development From Alex Metcalf, Jessica Rhoades & Media Res Mattel & TriStar Pictures Teaming On Whac-A-Mole Movie Ryan Murphy Sets 'The Shards' Series Adaptation At FX With Kaia Gerber Starring, Max Winkler Directing Warner Bros previously adapted the book in 2002, with leads Shane West and Mandy Moore breaking out off of their lead performances. The Adam Shankman pic remains one of the most popular in the modern rom-com canon, even if it made less than $48 million in theaters. Steve Barnett, Alan Powell and Vicky Patel are producing the reboot through Monarch Media, along with the original film's producers Denise Di Novi and Hunt Lowry, as well as Margaret French-Isaac through Di Novi Pictures and Patty Reed through Lowry's Roserock Films. Best known for writing Lionsgate's hit YA romance Five Feet Apart, starring Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse, Daughtry and Iaconis were also behind the Netflix family adventure film Nightbooks and Warner Bros' horror flick The Curse of La Llorona. Daughtry is also a New York Times bestselling author, having penned All This Time, and co-authored, with Iaconis and Rachael Lippincott, the #1 bestseller Five Feet Apart — which was adapted from Daughtry and Iaconis' screenplay of the same name. Daughtry's next novel, Time After Time, is slated for release through Putnam Young Readers next week. She and Iaconis are repped by Verve, Lit Entertainment Group, and McKuin, Frankel, Whitehead. Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Justin Baldoni Breaks Silence on Instagram Amid Blake Lively Lawsuit
Justin Baldoni has uploaded a post on social media, amidst his legal battle with . This post comes roughly five months after Baldoni's last post, which was in December 2024, the same month Lively first sued the actor for sexual harassment. It also comes around four months after Baldoni countersued Lively for defamation. Ever since the lawsuit battle began, both parties have continued to deny allegations levied against each other via representatives/attorneys. In celebration of Mother's Day, Justin Baldoni uploaded a post on Instagram, celebrating two of the most important women in his life, his mother, Sharon, and wife Emily. In the post, the Jane the Virgin actor's mother could be seen leaning on her son's right shoulder. Meanwhile, Emily could be seen leaning on his left shoulder. Baldoni's son could be seen embracing his father and grandmother, while his daughter embraced her mother. 'My mom gave us faith. My wife is the definition of it,' Baldoni captioned the post. 'Our children are growing up in the fortress of that love. Happy Mother's Day to all.' The above post comes five months after Baldoni's last Instagram post, which was about the Netflix release of It Ends With Us in the United States. In the post, Baldoni thanked fans for supporting the film. He also urged them to seek help if they were facing domestic violence. The post also comes four months after both Emily and Sharon Baldoni celebrated the Five Feet Apart director's birthday on Instagram. On her Instagram post, Sharon expressed her support for her son, without directly addressing Blake Lively's lawsuit against him via the following captions: 'Life has its moments and also its surprises- as you keep your integrity through it all, Justice and truth will shine today and into eternity,' she wrote. 'I love you more than you will ever know! Happy Birthday, my beautiful boy! May God continue to bless you in truth.' Meanwhile, Emily wrote in her post, 'Celebrating the man, husband, and father that you are. I'd choose you again and again.' Lively and Baldoni's trial has been scheduled for March 9, 2026. Originally reported by Abdul Azim Naushad on ComingSoon. The post Justin Baldoni Breaks Silence on Instagram Amid Blake Lively Lawsuit appeared first on Mandatory.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Taylor Swift to testify in court? Here's what the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit is all about
Pop superstar Taylor Swift has been subpoenaed to testify in an ongoing legal case involving her close friend Blake Lively and actor-director Justin Baldoni . The case is about a dispute over a failed business venture, and Swift's involvement has added a new layer of media attention to the proceedings. What is the dispute The legal battle began when Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reportedly disagreed over the management and direction of a wellness company they worked on together. According to court documents, the project was meant to focus on mental health and lifestyle content, but things fell apart over creative and financial differences. #Operation Sindoor India-Pakistan Clash Live Updates| Pak moving troops to border areas? All that's happening Why India chose to abstain instead of 'No Vote' against IMF billion-dollar funding to Pakistan How Pak's jihadi general Munir became trapped in his own vice Also Read: 'Intoxicated, trapped': Woman testifies against ex-junior Canada hockey players in 2018 sexual assault case Continue to video 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Why is Swift involved Taylor Swift has been asked to testify because of her close friendship with Lively and her alleged informal role in early discussions about the project. Legal documents show that Swift attended meetings and exchanged messages with both Lively and Baldoni during the early phases of the business idea. Lawyers believe her testimony could shed light on what was said during those informal conversations, including any promises or verbal agreements that may have been made. Swift's legal team responds Swift's legal representatives have not confirmed whether she will appear in court but acknowledged the subpoena. In a brief statement, they said Swift "has no direct involvement in the business dealings" and is being brought in only as a witness. They added that she respects the legal process and will cooperate as required. Live Events Media and public reaction The news of Swift's possible court appearance has sparked a wave of online buzz. Fans of the pop icon are expressing concern and support for her. Meanwhile, the entertainment industry is watching closely, as the case could highlight celebrities' risks when mixing personal friendships with business ventures. Blake Lively and Taylor Swift have been close friends for years, often seen vacationing together and publicly supporting each other's work. Justin Baldoni is best known for starring in the TV show Jane the Virgin and directing films such as Five Feet Apart. Also Read: Kosmos 482 falls to Earth: lost Soviet Venus probe finally comes home What's next The case is ongoing, and court proceedings will continue over the coming months. Whether Taylor Swift will take the stand remains uncertain, but her name, now being officially tied to the case, has already drawn considerable attention.
Los Angeles Times
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Justin Baldoni's tumultuous road to the center of a Hollywood scandal
In 2020, Travis Flores became one of only a handful of people in the world ever to receive a third double-lung transplant. Diagnosed as a baby with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that causes mucus to build up in the lungs and other organs, Flores had defied doctors' predictions that he wouldn't live past age five. At 29, he underwent the rare procedure in hopes of further extending his life. But as Flores recovered, his thoughts were consumed by another looming battle — this one with actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni. Baldoni, best known at the time as an actor on the CW's 'Jane the Virgin,' had made his directorial debut in 2019 with 'Five Feet Apart,' the story of two cystic fibrosis patients who fall in love. Baldoni said the film was inspired by a different CF activist to whom it was dedicated, but Flores maintained that it bore striking similarities to a screenplay he had written years earlier, 'Three Feet Distance.' 'After his third transplant, Travis said, 'The stress of this is killing me,'' Teresa Flores, his mother, recalled in an interview with The Times. 'Through some donations, he got enough money to hire a lawyer.' In September 2021, Flores sued Baldoni for copyright infringement in federal court. Seven months later, he voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit, telling his family that his legal team advised him that pursuing the case against a high-profile defendant with significant resources would be difficult. Baldoni, who has denied any wrongdoing, was 'absolutely not' aware of Flores' screenplay before making 'Five Feet Apart,' a spokesperson for the filmmaker and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, told The Times. Despite its dramatic elements — a terminally ill man alleging a director appropriated his story for a hit film — Flores' lawsuit barely made a ripple. Copyright battles are routine in Hollywood, and Baldoni wasn't yet a household name. Since 2019, he had increasingly focused on directing and producing earnest, socially conscious fare through the 'purpose-driven' Wayfarer shingle. He had also positioned himself as a prominent male feminist ally, delivering a 2018 TED Talk, 'Why I'm Done Trying to be 'Man Enough,'' that went viral, spawning a bestselling memoir and a podcast exploring gender, vulnerability and privilege. Last year's romantic drama 'It Ends with Us' was supposed to be the culmination of Baldoni's transformation into a multihyphenate force. The adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel found him directing and starring opposite Blake Lively, a far bigger Hollywood name. Friends with Taylor Swift — who attended last year's Super Bowl with her — and married to Marvel star Ryan Reynolds, Lively has been famous since 'Gossip Girl,' a defining teen drama of the 2000s. But despite grossing over $350 million worldwide after its August release, the success of 'It Ends With Us' has been overshadowed by a bitter, escalating feud between its two stars. On Dec. 20, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and misconduct during the film's production. According to the complaint, which was followed days later by a lawsuit in federal court, he allegedly pressured her to perform greater nudity than agreed upon, improvised intimate scenes and retaliated with a smear campaign after she raised concerns. Baldoni denied the claims, filing a $250-million defamation suit against Lively and the New York Times, which published her allegations. Weeks later, he followed with a $400-million countersuit against Lively, Reynolds and their publicist, Leslie Sloane, accusing them of conspiring to destroy his reputation and wrest control of the film from him. Baldoni's countersuit alleges that Lively and her team engaged in a coordinated effort to undermine him, including making false allegations of misconduct, spreading defamatory statements to the press and using their influence to pressure the studio to try to remove him from the film. The scandal has since become a full-blown media spectacle, with competing court filings and publicly surfaced messages fueling an ongoing firestorm. Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, who has represented Megyn Kelly, Bethenny Frankel, Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon, has portrayed him as an underdog, arguing that Hollywood power players are attempting to make him, according to his countersuit, 'the real-life villain in [Lively's] story.' Many who have worked with the 41-year-old Baldoni praise him as an inspiring and generous leader. 'He is highly creative and in tune with his spiritual side,' said Melissa Ames, who worked as his personal and executive assistant and credits him with giving her career opportunities she had long dreamed of. 'He has a heart for helping others. Working at Wayfarer was one of the best times of my life.' Yet some former colleagues, in more than a dozen interviews with The Times and a previously unreported 2020 lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, paint a more complicated picture. Several described a pattern of performative virtue and power plays that, in their view, conflicted with the ideals Baldoni professes to uphold. 'They keep talking about [the Baldoni-Lively battle] as David and Goliath but that's just not my experience,' said one former collaborator, who like numerous others interviewed by the Times declined to be named out of fear of being drawn into litigation. 'Justin has a lot of power and a lot of money, and he is not afraid to use them to get his way. We need allies, but we need allies whose personal and business dealings align with who they say they are.' Through a spokesperson, Baldoni declined to be interviewed for this story, as did Wayfarer Studios' senior leadership. The spokesperson said the company 'has always proudly publicized [its] founding mission of harnessing storytelling to champion inspirational stories that act as true agents for social change, and actively strives to maintain a positive workplace environment that is rooted in this mission.' Baldoni was born in Los Angeles, where his father, Sam, ran an entertainment marketing company, brokering deals to feature brands in movies and TV shows. But after a series of earthquakes and wildfires hit Southern California in the early 1990s, the family relocated to rural Applegate Valley, Ore. Raised in a double-wide trailer in a blue-collar conservative town, Baldoni struggled to fit in, torn between his family's Bahai faith, which emphasizes gender equality and service to others, and the hypermasculine culture around him. At school, as Baldoni recounted in his 2021 memoir 'Man Enough,' he was hazed by older boys who compared the size of their genitals in the locker room, snuck pubic hair into his food and gave him the nickname 'Balboner.' 'These types of memories were catalysts for the inferiority complex that plagued me through most of my adolescence and into my twenties, and one that I still battle with today,' he wrote. As a teenager, Baldoni turned to pornography as a coping mechanism, watching sex scenes from movies and other adult content alone in his room whenever he felt 'lonely, insecure, anxious, or even bored.' Years later, in Hollywood, he found himself working alongside actresses he had once fantasized about. 'Some of the weirdest moments of my life have happened in the past few years as my teenage fantasies have merged with my midthirties professional life, and some of these women have become friends,' he wrote in 'Man Enough.' Because of his Bahai faith, which discourages premarital sex, Baldoni remained abstinent until his freshman year at Cal State Long Beach, where, as he later recalled in 'Man Enough,' his then-girlfriend initiated intercourse without his consent, an experience he said left him privately anguished. 'Who was I ever going to be able to talk to about it?' he wrote, picturing an uncomfortable conversation with his 'typical bro' roommate. ''Hey man, so my girlfriend put me inside of her and I wasn't ready to have sex and I'm feeling really weird about it.'' After discovering the same girlfriend had been cheating on him, Baldoni later recounted, he spiraled into depression, losing 20 pounds and sleeping on a couch in an empty office his father kept. Seeking support from the Bahai community in Los Angeles, he gradually regained a sense of purpose and threw himself into pursuing a Hollywood career, eventually landing roles on shows like 'The Young and the Restless,' 'Charmed' and 'Everwood.' By 2013, frustrated with the limited, often superficial parts he was being offered and facing foreclosure on his home, Baldoni began shifting his focus to directing and producing. That year, he founded Wayfarer Entertainment, where his father, Sam, held a role as an executive producer, aiming to create socially conscious content inspired by their shared spiritual values. The company's first office, located above a carpet business in the Fairfax District, was modest, staffed by 'an army of interns around a ping pong table,' recalled Mikey McManus, who described himself as Wayfarer's first full-time employee. 'How do we use media to make the world a better place? That was the mission,' said McManus, who served as the company's EVP of Development for its first couple of years. 'It was an uphill battle to go into a network and do something wholesome.' One of Wayfarer's first projects, 'My Last Days,' a web docuseries about terminally ill individuals embracing life, found a home on Baldoni's friend and fellow Bahai devotee Rainn Wilson's SoulPancake platform. The series drew millions of views and would eventually land a spot on the CW. In 2014, Baldoni landed his breakout role as Rafael Solano in the CW dramedy 'Jane the Virgin,' based on a Venezuelan telenovela. The role of love interest to Gina Rodriguez's Jane had originally been intended for a Latino actor but was rewritten as Italian after Baldoni was cast. Years later, Baldoni grappled in his memoir with the systemic racial inequities that he now recognized had given him a leg up. 'I can absolutely see how I took a role from a Latino actor,' he wrote. In a chapter devoted to the subject of race, he added, 'The system doesn't benefit me just because I am a man; the system also benefits me because I am a white man (not to mention, an able-bodied heterosexual cis white man from a middle-class family).' As 'Jane the Virgin' garnered acclaim, Baldoni leveraged his rising fame to expand Wayfarer, pitching socially conscious content in crowd-pleasing formats — what he called 'choccoli,' or chocolate-covered broccoli. He also ventured into tech entrepreneurship, launching two apps: Shout, which promoted online positivity by scoring users' social media interactions, and BellyBump, which helped women document their pregnancies through time-lapse videos. Neither took off. 'He's hardcore Bahai, right? And one of the major tenets, as I came to understand it from him, was, 'Our work should be our service to mankind,'' McManus recalled. 'He used to use this analogy in regards to the patriarchy and the role of women: our species is a two-winged bird and one of the wings has been injured.' Emerging in 19th century Iran, the Bahai faith now has an estimated 5 to 8 million followers worldwide, including more than 170,000 in the U.S. With an emphasis on racial and gender equality, social justice and global peace, its central goal is to 'unify mankind and coexist,' according to Zackery M. Heern, a Middle Eastern studies professor at Idaho State University who is also Bahai. Initially deemed 'incredibly radical' for challenging religious authority and advocating social reforms, including women's education, the Báb — whose teachings paved the way for the Bahai — was executed in 1850 for apostasy and his perceived challenge to the political and religious establishment. Despite its emphasis on equality, some Bahai principles remain culturally conservative in ways that clash with Hollywood's more liberal and permissive norms. Women cannot serve on the religion's highest governing body, the Universal House of Justice, though they can hold leadership roles in all other Bahai institutions. Same-sex marriage is not recognized, as Bahai teachings define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Alcohol and recreational drugs are prohibited, and gossip — a key currency in Hollywood — is considered one of the most harmful and soul-destroying human traits and strictly forbidden. It was through his faith that Baldoni connected with Steve Sarowitz, a Chicago-based Bahai convert and billionaire founder of Paylocity, when he served as an advisor on 'The Gate: Dawn of the Baha'i Faith,' a 2018 documentary Sarowitz produced about the religion's origins. The following year, Sarowitz's investment firm, 4S Bay Partners, acquired a majority stake in Wayfarer Entertainment, establishing a $25-million content fund to expand its staff, move to larger offices and evolve the company — now called Wayfarer Studios — into a hub for socially impactful storytelling. In 2019, Baldoni made his directorial debut with 'Five Feet Apart,' which starred Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson. Released by CBS Films, the movie grossed over $90 million globally on a $7-million budget, though many reviewers found it mawkish and saccharine. Encouraged by the film's financial success, Wayfarer expanded into larger projects, including Baldoni's second feature, 'Clouds,' a 2020 Disney+ drama about Zach Sobiech, a teenage singer-songwriter who died of cancer in 2013. The unabashedly heartstring-tugging film earned solid reviews and propelled Sobiech's song of the same title to the top of the iTunes chart, helping to raise funds for osteosarcoma through the Children's Cancer Research Fund. While building Wayfarer, Baldoni was also shaping his public image as a feminist ally. The birth of his daughter Maiya in 2015 had prompted a deeper reflection on gender equity and the kind of man he wanted to be. In his 2017 TED talk, he declared, 'I believe that as men it's time we start to see past our privilege and recognize that we are not just part of the problem — fellas, we are the problem.' Baldoni had already demonstrated his love of grand gestures, particularly when it came to romance. Years earlier, he proposed to his wife, Swedish actress Emily Baldoni (née Foxler), with an elaborate, highly produced 27-minute video featuring hidden cameras, choreographed flash mobs and a montage of their relationship — an over-the-top spectacle that quickly went viral. The TED talk resonated, earning nearly 9 million views, and laid the groundwork for Baldoni's 2021 book 'Man Enough' and the subsequent podcast of the same name. 'The original idea was to make 'The View' for dudes,' said McManus. 'We wanted a show about men and the things that men don't talk about, because that was our way of upending the patriarchy — which is destroying our planet.' While Baldoni's openness about his efforts to be a better man earned praise from many, others questioned his authenticity. Inspired by his faith, Baldoni had long tried to help others through such efforts as the Skid Row Carnival of Love, an annual event he founded in 2015 to help L.A.'s unhoused community. But to some observers his public gestures — such as filming himself giving clothing to a homeless man or asking employees to sign their emails with the phrase 'so much love' — felt performative, aimed at self-branding as much as bringing about genuine change. 'It was constant positivity all the time — I would say toxic positivity,' said one former Wayfarer staffer. 'I'm always a little dubious of people who advertise themselves as disruptors of the status quo or quote-unquote 'good people.' It felt phony.' In response to these criticisms, a spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer said, 'There have never been any reported complaints regarding the workplace culture, or any communicated issues regarding the platforms of its founders. If any guidance was ever provided to employees of how to conduct their written correspondence, it was to ensure that the activities of its employees remained professional and aligned with the ethos of the company. Wayfarer believes that joy and positivity are the essence of good work, and they stand by this statement.' Multiple employees also expressed discomfort with the increasing prominence of the Bahai faith in Wayfarer's office culture. 'There was an evangelizing aspect to the way Justin spoke about the faith that, in my opinion, felt professionally inappropriate,' said one former employee. Others described a workplace where Bahai principles were frequently invoked in discussions about the company's mission and projects, particularly after Sarowitz became more involved. 'Bahai values were a driving force behind everything they did,' said another former employee, who wasn't as bothered by the focus on the faith. 'It came up routinely. As a newer Bahai member, Steve wanted to talk about it all the time.' A spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer noted that, while the founders of Wayfarer Studios are Bahai, the majority of its senior leadership and staff are not, and no Bahai-related activities are ever mandated by the company. 'As all of Wayfarer's projects are rooted in a belief system that stems from various faiths and backgrounds, speaking from a place of spirituality is commonplace,' the spokesperson told The Times. 'Employees are encouraged to celebrate and practice their individual beliefs however they see fit, a message which is proudly supported by leadership.' Rooted in his spiritual beliefs, Baldoni saw Wayfarer as a vehicle for inspirational storytelling, but some employees felt its relentless emphasis on uplift sometimes veered into discomfiting territory. Two former staffers, in particular, spoke of their unease with Baldoni's repeated focus on stories of terminal illness, which included a 2015 documentary he directed about 'The Simpsons' writer Sam Simon that aired on Fusion just a week after Simon's death from cancer. ''The message was always, 'These people are dying and they still have a positive outlook, so everyone has a reason to be positive,'' one former Wayfarer staffer said. 'But, you know, you're also making money off these people, so it feels at least slightly exploitative.' Reviewers have raised similar concerns. 'While it is a spectacle for a good cause, it is still a spectacle,' Variety wrote of 'My Last Days,' 'and one that sometimes is guilty of reveling in its own self-satisfaction.' Responding to these concerns, a spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer said, 'It is a shame that anyone would criticize the platform that Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have given to these communities of people living with chronic illness, who are in desperate need of the critical funds and global awareness that each one of these projects directly provided. Since before Wayfarer was even founded, Mr. Baldoni dedicated his professional career to raising awareness and funds for these individuals with the sole intent of memorializing their legacies.' While some former employees voiced concerns about aspects of Wayfarer's workplace culture, others described positive experiences with the company. Australian-born filmmaker Christel Cornilsen, who began working with Wayfarer in 2014, became the first female director on one of the company's projects when she replaced a male filmmaker who had dropped out of a documentary shooting in Malawi. The shoot proved arduous, with no electricity or running water, but Cornilsen praised Baldoni and Wayfarer for their steadfast support. 'I was stuck in the middle of nowhere dealing with this anarchy and they were really there for me,' Cornilsen recalled. 'They risked a lot of money for humanitarian projects that they didn't make back. That's putting your money where your mouth is. There were always good intentions. A lot of corporations are phony. You have to measure the impact. Justin is generally a good egg.' Following a series of leadership changes at Wayfarer Studios, Jamey Heath — Baldoni's best friend and a fellow Bahai — became the company's president in 2021. A longtime songwriter and producer who worked with artists Chaka Khan and Solange, Heath, like Sarowitz, had little prior experience in the film industry. The following year, Sarowitz and his wife, Jessica, invested an additional $125 million into the company, fueling further expansion. In March 2024, Heath, who also co-hosted the 'Man Enough' podcast, was elevated to chief executive. Wayfarer's internal culture was at times dysfunctional and riven by internal politics, according to one former executive at the company, with Baldoni — who was often away on sets — only occasionally making appearances: 'He would come in and everyone would kind of stand and greet him as if he was an arriving conqueror. But he didn't really understand how the day-to-day business worked.' A spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer said that Baldoni was not deeply involved in daily management, adding, 'Justin Baldoni does not oversee, and hasn't ever overseen, the day-to-day operations of Wayfarer Studios,' and emphasizing the company's 'robust leadership team.' Whatever workplace tensions existed came to a head in 2020 and 2021, when a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and wrongful termination brought internal grievances to light and a separate copyright dispute involving Baldoni and Wayfarer raised questions about whether the company's stated ideals aligned with its practices. In Dec. 2020, former Wayfarer executive Shane Norman, who is Black, filed a lawsuit alleging that he was recruited with promises of job security and professional advancement but was later marginalized and ultimately terminated after raising concerns about racial inequities at the company. The complaint claimed that during the hiring process, Sarowitz told Norman 'We need somebody here who looks like you,' but after he spoke out — particularly during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests — colleagues labeled him an 'angry Black man.' Asked about Sarowitz's alleged comment, a spokesperson for Wayfarer said, 'Mr. Sarowitz was not a defendant in the lawsuit. Regardless, Wayfarer Studios, Wayfarer Entertainment, and Baldoni denied this and all the material allegations in the complaint, the First Amended Complaint, and the Second Amended Complaint.' The lawsuit alleged Wayfarer perpetuated 'a pattern of sidelining and tokenizing people of color,' a dynamic that, according to the complaint, was 'antithetical to everything Wayfarer claimed to stand for.' It further claimed that after voicing these concerns, Norman was demoted, his pay was cut and he was ultimately terminated, while non-Black employees in similar circumstances received severance packages that he was denied. Baldoni and Wayfarer denied the allegations. In September 2021, a judge dismissed some of Norman's claims in the case, and he later filed an appeal. In April 2022, he voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning he could not refile it. A source with knowledge of the negotiations said Norman received approximately $150,000 to drop his claims, though the terms of any settlement were not publicly disclosed. 'Throughout their defense of Mr. Norman's lawsuit ... Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and Wayfarer Entertainment vigorously denied all of Mr. Norman's claims,' a spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer said. 'In fact, public records confirm the trial court dismissed Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios from the lawsuit well before any resolution by the parties and the concurrent dismissal of the remainder of the lawsuit. Other than stating that the matter was resolved, we are unable to further comment.' In September 2021, cystic fibrosis advocate and writer Travis Flores filed a lawsuit alleging that Baldoni, Wayfarer Entertainment and other defendants incorporated elements of his 2010 screenplay 'Three Feet Distance' without permission into Baldoni's 2019 film 'Five Feet Apart.' According to the complaint, 'Three Feet Distance' was optioned by an affiliate of Universal in 2015 but never produced. The lawsuit claims that in 2016, Flores shared his screenplay with a genetic testing company that had expressed interest in the project under a confidentiality agreement, and that an individual with access to the script later consulted on 'Five Feet Apart.' According to the complaint, after Baldoni announced 'Five Feet Apart,' Flores was invited to appear on Baldoni's docuseries 'My Last Days.' Flores claimed in the lawsuit that he deliberately avoided discussing 'Three Feet Distance' on the show because he was concerned his participation might be used to undermine a potential copyright claim. Baldoni and the other defendants denied the allegations, and in March 2022 Flores voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice. No determination of liability was made. According to multiple sources, Flores ultimately dropped the case after being advised by his legal team that Baldoni had the financial resources to sustain a prolonged legal fight, and that continuing the lawsuit could take a toll on his health. In late 2024, months after Flores' death at age 33, Bryan Freedman — the attorney who had represented him in the case — began advocating for Baldoni in his battle with Lively. Asked why he decided to represent Baldoni after previously representing Flores in a case against him, Freedman said in a statement, 'Over the years, I have learned what great people Justin and Wayfarer are. The [Flores] case was resolved without any determination of liability on Justin's or Wayfarer or any other defendant's part. Since then, it has been further confirmed to me that Justin and Wayfarer are exceedingly honorable and highly ethical.' Some former employees maintain that Baldoni's intentions were sincere, even as aspects of his leadership drew criticism. 'His heart is truly in the right place,' said one former Wayfarer employee. 'He's a young guy who has gained access to a lot of money and has been figuring out how to run the company as he goes. He did a lot of stuff that was really helpful to a lot of people that no one knows about that far outweighs any mistakes.' One former Wayfarer executive, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, described the challenges of Hollywood's for-profit progressivism as a constant negotiation between ideals, egos and industry realities: 'The social impact model is a tough go in this industry. There's so much temptation and greed, it's hard to truly do good.' As the Baldoni's battle with Lively unfolded last year, speculation swirled online about a curious parallel on the big screen. In the summer comic-book tentpole 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' some viewers wondered whether Reynolds was taking a jab at Baldoni with the character Nicepool, a sanctimonious antihero sporting a man bun. In one scene, Nicepool, also played by Reynolds, comments on the appearance of Ladypool (played by Lively) after childbirth, saying, 'She just had a baby too — you can't even tell.' When Deadpool replies, 'I don't think you're supposed to say that,' Nicepool shrugs it off: 'That's okay. I identify as a feminist.' Later, Ladypool guns Nicepool down in front of a flower shop — a significant setting in 'It Ends With Us' — as Deadpool uses him as a human shield. Baldoni's legal team took notice. In January, Freedman sent a letter to Disney and Marvel demanding they preserve all documents related to Baldoni, alleging 'a deliberate attempt to mock, harass, ridicule, intimidate, or bully Baldoni through the character of 'Nicepool.'' Appearing on 'The Megyn Kelly Show' on Jan. 7, Freedman highlighted the similarities: 'There's no question it relates to Justin. I mean, anybody that watched that hair bun ... it's pretty obvious what's being done.' A representative for Reynolds, who has not publicly remarked on the Nicepool allegations, did not respond to The Times' request for comment. The alleged ridicule adds further fuel to a scandal that has already tarnished Baldoni's reputation and pitted him against one of Hollywood's most powerful couples. Having been dropped by his agency, William Morris Endeavor, and stripped of a recent award from the nonprofit Vital Visions, which honors advocacy for women and girls, Baldoni has attempted to repair his image by shifting the narrative back to Lively, whose own reputation has also sustained damage. In recent weeks, several audio and video recordings have emerged that Baldoni's legal and PR team believes exonerate him, including raw footage from the set of 'It Ends With Us.' Around the same time, his team launched a website featuring his court filings and a 168-page timeline of the film's production and the ensuing dispute, part of a broader push to counter the allegations and shape public perception. As Baldoni digs in for the battle ahead, the stakes could not be higher. A victory, whether in the court of law or public opinion, could offer a path back to Hollywood. A loss could leave everything he built in ruins. Even before the current crisis, Baldoni was candid about his fear of losing everything, laying bare his self-doubt and insecurities in the opening chapter of his memoir. 'I am afraid — a lot,' he wrote. 'I am afraid of not providing for my family, not being financially secure ... I am afraid of losing my relevancy, of messing up my next movie and going to 'director jail,' of gaining weight or not aging well (whatever that means) and then not getting any work as an actor because it had never been my talent that got me the work for all these years but my looks. I am afraid that I will be seen as an imposter and everyone will find out that I've just been faking it this entire time and really have no idea what I'm doing or how I even got here.' Alongside his self-doubt, Baldoni acknowledged another fear: being placed on a pedestal — even one he helped build. 'The higher that pedestal gets, the harder the fall,' he wrote. 'I hate pedestals.'
