Justin Baldoni was already on the edge from an overwhelming year before Blake Lively’s lawsuit pushed him over the edge.
In an interview on the Gent’s Talk podcast — filmed in November 2024 and released on February 10 — the It Ends With Us director revealed he had been struggling with exhaustion and stress.
“This morning, I sent a text message to my best friend Jamey [Heath, CEO Wayfarer Studios] and the president of my company, Tera [Hanks]. And I told them that I wasn’t in the best place,” Baldoni, 41, told host Samir Mourani.
He added, “I told them that I was exhausted. That I haven’t given myself time to recover, or time to heal.”
Looking back on the past year, Baldoni admitted it had taken a toll. “A lot of material success and a lot of emotional stress, it was very hard on me and my family. I wear a lot of hats. And I carry a lot,” he shared.
He further explained that though he loves what he does, “it’s easy to… be swept away… and be kind of overtaken by the wave of success and opportunity.”
At the time of the interview, It Ends With Us — which Baldoni directed and starred in alongside Lively — had become a box office hit, grossing $351 million worldwide. But just a month later, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment during filming and alleging he attempted to smear her reputation.
Baldoni has denied the claims and responded with his own lawsuit in January, suing Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and her publicist Leslie Sloane for defamation and civil extortion, seeking $400 million in damages.
