Blake Lively's lawsuit caused Baldoni 'emotional stress,' says co-actor
What's the story
Hollywood actor-director Justin Baldoni is still grappling with "emotional stress" following his highly publicized legal feud with Blake Lively. The news was revealed by Adam Mondschein, a friend of Baldoni and his It Ends With Us co-star. Speaking to Page Six, Mondschein said the situation has been "a big burden to carry" for the 42-year-old filmmaker.
Emotional impact
Mondschein said Baldoni is 'a real person'
Mondschein, 50, said, "It's just like the weight and the emotional stress that this puts on him." He added, "He's a real person...To maintain the knowledge that that's not who you are, that's exhausting." The actor claimed Baldoni's "heart is broken" and maintained that he "really cares" and has "integrity."
Defense stance
Mondschein previously defended Baldoni amid Lively's accusations
Mondschein, who portrayed OBGYN Dr. Dunbar in It Ends With Us, had earlier defended Baldoni after Lively accused him of sexual harassment and fostering a toxic work environment. Speaking about the film, he said, "He was going to usher forth her book to a whole new audience..." "He wanted these conversations...about domestic violence, the responsibility that men have to have this conversation, not just the victims, not just the women." "And so that was his whole drive."
Legal proceedings
Everything to know about the lawsuit
Lively accused Baldoni of attempting to "destroy" her reputation through an alleged smear campaign. She later filed a formal lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual harassment, emotional distress, breach of contract, and invasion of privacy. In response, Baldoni denied the allegations and filed a $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their PR team, which was later dismissed.
Settlement
Lively-Baldoni settles the legal battle
After the court dismissed most of Lively's claims, she and Baldoni decided to settle their lengthy court battle. The decision was reportedly a "last-minute deal." The legal feud began when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and creating a toxic work environment on the set of It Ends With Us.