Justin Baldoni's Religion Comes Under Scrutiny Amid 'It Ends With Us' Drama

Actor Justin Baldoni may be having the worst year of his life as he attempts to navigate the fallout from Blake Lively and her "It Ends With Us" lawsuit.

The "Gossip Girl" alum accused the director of sexual harassment, body shaming, and a host of other allegations, including bringing up her late father.

Social media has begun to scrutinize every aspect of his life, from his family to his comments about his porn addiction, to his religious beliefs.

In order to understand why Justin’s faith has drawn controversy, it is important to start at the beginning. He was born in Los Angeles to an interfaith household: His father was Irish Catholic and his mother was Ashkenazi Jewish. Despite their heritage, Justin’s parents Sharon and Sam Baldoni, identify with the Baha’i faith and raised Justin to follow those beliefs.

In 2020, Justin told the Today show how his faith provides him with “a lot of insight” and gives him a “daily source of inner happiness.”

“Through God, we are told to not rely on the external or superficial for joy and serenity, and while no one is perfect at that, it’s an incredible guiding light,” he said at the time.

That same year, most of the world was locked down from the COVID-19 pandemic. He told Today that “prayer has been so helpful” and that “faith is really what’s getting me through” that difficult time. He also credited therapy and “cold water exposure” to helping him survive the long months in lockdown.

He referred to the pandemic as a “worldwide challenge” and felt that it presented “opportunities for humanity to mature” and “learn to attribute more importance to our moral and spiritual welfare than to our material prosperity.”

For those who are unaware, 'Abdu'l-Bahá is a central figure in the Baha'i faith. Justin has a quote on his arm from this figure that reads, “Where there is love, nothing is too much trouble, and there is always time.”

“That has really been my mantra through my career but also in my marriage and personal life while trying to figure out how to balance all my commitments. It reminds me to always be present and that I need to make space for the things and people I love,” he explained. “Having it tattooed on me has definitely proven to be a blessing and a curse as I often find myself saying I don’t have time, and then catching myself.”

According to the official website, Baha’i beliefs address the unity of God and religion. It also focuses on “the oneness of humanity and freedom from prejudice” and “the fundamental equality of the sexes.” It also emphasizes the “centrality of justice to all human endeavors” and “the dynamics of the relationships that are to bind together individuals, communities, and institutions as humanity advances towards its collective maturity.”

The monotheistic religion is said to have originated in Itan in the 19th century and is one of the world’s fastest-growing religions, with reportedly 8.5 million members practicing throughout the world. One of the most important tenets of the religion focuses on equality, as they strongly believe that men and women should have equal opportunities and that all forms of prejudice should be challenged.

Justin Baldoni has been making headlines all year after directing and playing the male lead in “It Ends With Us,” an adaption of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel. He starred opposite Blake Lively, although it was clear from the movie premiere in August that the two were not on good terms following the film's release.

Eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice that Blake, along with Colleen and several other cast members, did not follow Justin on social media. He also did not join her for group photos or do group interviews with the rest of the cast. Rumors of bad blood swirled, but it wasn’t until December 2024 that “The Shallows” actress filed a lawsuit against him claiming sexual harassment.

One part of the lawsuit describes how Justin Baldino supposedly tried to ruin Blake’s career by running a “smear campaign” against her. Text messages that surfaced online allegedly show Justin sending his team a Twitter thread about Hailey Bieber as an example of what they could do against Blake and her career.

Subsequent text messages appear to show his team celebrating the discourse turning against Blake Lively, especially after an old interview surfaced showing her being rude to a reporter. The alleged “smear campaign” against the mother-of-four has many questioning whether or not Justin actually follows the Baha’i faith as closely as he initially claimed.

In the latest update on his legal drama, Justin Baldoni's crisis communications team is facing their own lawsuit from his former publicist, who claims she suffered from defamation, breach of contract, and additional claims.