Justin Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman says the actor-filmmaker might take on an advocacy role for people who have been falsely accused of things.
Freedman, speaking with TMZ on Monday in New York City amid a hearing on legal fees in Baldoni’s case with Blake Lively, which was settled last month, two weeks ahead of a projected May 18 trial date.
There was a possibility Baldoni, 42, could be ‘a speaker for people who have been wrongfully accused of something, and really beaten up by a power dynamic,’ his attorney said.
Freedman said that Baldoni is still mulling which direction he’s going to go in with his career after wrapping up litigation with Lively last month.
‘I think it’s still been tough for him,’ Freedman said. ‘He’s still going through a lot, and you go through anything like that, it’s really shattering your ego and your pride and your vulnerability and all of it.’
He said of Baldoni: ‘He really opens himself up in a way that most people don’t and he’s really been super-authentic and that’s been wounded.’
Justin Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman says the actor-filmmaker, 42, might take on an advocacy role for people who have been falsely accused of things. Pictured in NYC in February
Baldoni and Blake Lively, 39, settled their case last month. She was seen at the Met Gala in NYC on May 4
Baldoni has been buoyed by the support he’s received from the public amid nearly two years of bad blood with Lively spilling out to the public, his lawyer said.
‘It’s so meaningful to him and so powerful to him,’ Freedman said. ‘He’s blown away at the love that he’s gotten, and it’s helped him survive.’
Freedman said the main idea at the center of Baldoni’s activism would be ‘the idea that you can be a good person, and not be taken advantage of just because you’re kind.’
Baldoni’s contentious legal battle with Lively had lasted nearly a year-and-a-half, as in December of 2024, she named him in a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional stress.
This past April, a judge threw out 10 of the 13 claims Lively made in her initial filing, such as sexual harassment, conspiracy and defamation.
In a joint statement issued by their respective legal teams in the wake of the settlement, Lively and Baldoni said they emerged from the contentious case with mutual aims.
‘Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind,’ Lively and Baldoni said. ‘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.’
In her lawsuit, the actress accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her in multiple ways – including body shaming her – and orchestrating a smear campaign against her to damage her reputation.
Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman said that the actor-director is still mulling which direction he’s going to go in with his career after wrapping up litigation with Lively last month
Lively also named a number of Baldoni’s collaborators, including his company Wayfarer Studios, the studio’s CEO and financial backer, and PR personnel.
Baldoni had initially asked for $250 million in damages from The New York Times, mentioning a report it published on the topic that he claimed was defamatory, then added it to the $400 million lawsuit he filed this past January.
In the suit, Baldoni named Lively, her spouse Ryan Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane, citing the aforementioned report in legal documents. It was thrown out of court in June of 2025. All parties denied all of the allegations against them.
It Ends with Us earned $148 million in domestic box office and $350 million globally – but whatever goodwill the film garnered has since been overshadowed by the allegations made by its stars.
The motion picture, which also starred Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar and Kevin McKidd, was based on the 2016 novel by Colleen Hoover. The storyline of the film centered around a toxic relationship between Lily Bloom (played by Lively) and Ryle Kincaid (Baldoni).
According to a logline for the film, Lily ‘overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life,’ as ‘a chance meeting with a neurosurgeon sparks a connection but Lily begins to see sides of him that remind her of her parents’ relationship.’
Lively seen in NYC May 19, the day after the start date of her trial with Baldoni before settling
It Ends with Us earned $148 million in domestic box office and $350 million globally – but whatever goodwill the film garnered has since been overshadowed by the allegations made by its stars
Lively broke out with the 2005 movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants opposite Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel and America Ferrera.
That led to her high-profile role on the TV show Gossip Girl, which she starred on from 2007-2012, playing lead character Serena van der Woodsen.
She has also appeared in movies such as 2010’s The Town, 2016’s The Shallows, 2018’s A Simple Favor and 2020’s The Rhythm Section.
Prior to It Ends with Us, Baldoni was best known for playing the role of Rafael Solano on the TV show Jane the Virgin from 2014–2019.
He also has directed films including 2019’s Five Feet Apart and 2020’s Clouds, and penned the 2021 book Man Enough, which tackled misconceptions of contemporary masculinity.
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