Who is Justin Baldoni, the actor and filmmaker accused by Blake Lively of sexual harassment?
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- Blake Lively has sued "It Ends with Us" costar and director Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment.
- The 40-year-old actor and filmmaker is best known for his role on the show "Jane the Virgin."
- Baldoni cofounded Wayfarer Entertainment, the production studio behind "It Ends with Us."
Blake Lively on Saturday filed suit against her "It Ends with Us" costar and director, Justin Baldoni, for sexual harassment after months of reports that the two feuded on set.
Here's what we know about the 40-year-old actor and filmmaker.
The son of Sharon and Sam Baldoni, Justin Baldoni was born in 1984 in Los Angeles and raised in Medford, Oregon. His mother is a Feng Shui designer, according to her Instagram, and his father, before taking on a producer role for his son's projects, including "My Last Days" and "Clouds," was chairman and CEO of Baldoni Entertainment, an entertainment marketing firm.
Baldoni is a devout follower of the Baháʼí faith and has, on several occasions, shared social media posts related to his belief in the religion.
After getting his acting start in a 2004 episode of the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," the younger Baldoni went on to take roles on "Heroes," "The Bold and the Beautiful," and developed a male empowerment talk show called "Man Enough."
Baldoni married Swedish actor Emily Foxler in 2013. She now goes by the name Emily Baldoni in her credits on film and TV projects such as "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "NCIS: Los Angeles." She also appeared in "It Ends With Us" alongside her husband and Lively, portraying Doctor Julie.
Baldoni and his wife both have credits on the satirical telenovela "Jane the Virgin," the television show in which Baldoni is best known for his role as Rafael Solano during its 2014-2019 run.
According to the company's LinkedIn page, Baldoni co-founded the production studio Wayfarer Entertainment in 2013, which later produced "It Ends With Us."
The "It Ends With Us" production, based on the novel of the same name by Colleen Hoover, was plagued with rumors that Lively and Baldoni had developed a feud while on set. Business Insider reported that Baldoni had been largely absent from press events with other cast members, and the pair were not photographed together during the film's premiere.
Lively faced significant backlash amid the rumored feud, with fans turning on the "Gossip Girl" star and suggesting she was unlikeable and difficult to work with, Business Insider reported.
In her lawsuit, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation, and breach of contract, saying the actor inflicted "emotional distress" and conspired to damage her public reputation in the wake of the film's release. Baldoni's attorney has called the claims made in the complaint "completely false" and "intentionally salacious."