Actor and director Justin Baldoni celebrated his 42nd birthday with strong family support as his bitter legal conflict with actress Blake Lively continues to unfold in court proceedings.
Father's Emotional Birthday Tribute
The It Ends With Us director received public backing from his father, Sam Baldoni, who shared a deeply personal tribute reflecting on his son's birth, character, and resilience during what he described as a challenging year.
'Happy Birthday Justin Louis Baldoni!' Sam wrote. 'Being a new dad I had no idea what to expect when Justin was born. His birth (our first) was not easy. Sharon spent 34+ hours in labor and we ended up cesarean.'
Sam recalled holding his newborn son first and placing him against his mother's cheek, calling it 'a spiritual, very exhilarating close to God kind of experience.'
'This little guy filled our home with such joy all those years ago and to this day his presence lights up not only our lives but all those around him,' he continued.
Praise for Family Devotion
He went on to praise Baldoni's devotion to his family and his wife, Emily Baldoni, writing: 'I envy his continual dedication to his family and his love and admiration for his truly perfect partner Emily my dearly loved Daughter-in-love.'
The post concluded with a pointed reference to Baldoni's ongoing legal turmoil: 'Son, in a year full of turmoil and injustice you have remained steadfast in your faith knowing that truth and justice will prevail! Happy Birthday Son, I love you with all my heart and soul.'
Ongoing Legal Battle with Blake Lively
The emotional tribute comes as Baldoni remains embroiled in an intense legal battle with Lively, who in December 2024 named him in a lawsuit accusing him of:
- Sexual harassment
- Retaliatory conduct
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
In her filing, Lively alleged that Baldoni sexually harassed her in multiple ways, including body shaming, and orchestrated a smear campaign designed to damage her reputation.
She also named several of Baldoni's collaborators in the suit, including his company Wayfarer Studios, its CEO and financial backer, as well as PR personnel. Baldoni has consistently denied all allegations against him.
Previous Legal Actions
Baldoni initially sought $250 million in damages from The New York Times over a report detailing Lively's claims. That suit named Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane. The case was dismissed in June, with all parties denying the allegations against them.
Explosive Text Messages Revealed
Earlier this week, court documents revealed explosive text messages between Lively and Taylor Swift as part of the ongoing litigation surrounding It Ends With Us.
According to court papers, the pair exchanged unflattering remarks about Baldoni, who both directed and co-starred in the film. Lively allegedly referred to Baldoni as the 'doofus director of my movie,' while Swift replied: 'I'll do anything for you!'
Alleged Campaign Against Baldoni
The court filings also allege that Lively disparaged Baldoni to other A-list friends, including:
- Matt Damon and his wife Lucy
- Ben Affleck - whom she allegedly described Baldoni to as a 'chaotic clown'
- Bradley Cooper
- Author Colleen Hoover
In a text to Affleck, Lively allegedly wrote: 'I ended up rewriting and restructuring the entire script, I also ended up having to direct the movie via the chaotic clown 'director'/actor/producer/financier/studio head at the center.'
Her lawyers did not dispute the message's contents but said it should be taken in context.
Script Disputes and Allegations
Baldoni's lawyers wrote that on April 12, 2023, Lively asked Swift to help her endorse a revised script, referring to Baldoni as 'this doofus director of my movie' and 'a clown' who 'thinks he's a writer now.'
Following a meeting at Lively's apartment, Swift allegedly endorsed the revised draft. Lively later wrote: 'You were so epically heroic today… This clown… falling for all of it.' Lively's side disputed claims that Swift agreed to do her 'bidding.'
Film Rights and Release
Although Baldoni had purchased the rights to Colleen Hoover's novel, Sony ultimately released Lively's version of the movie amid the fallout surrounding allegations about Baldoni's on-set conduct.
The legal battle continues to unfold as both sides prepare their cases, with the recent revelations adding new dimensions to the already complex dispute between the Hollywood figures.
