Justin Baldoni, the 41-year-old actor, has made the surprising decision not to attend the highly anticipated premiere of Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, at the Cannes Film Festival.
This move comes amidst his ongoing legal drama with Johansson’s ex-husband Ryan Reynolds and his current wife, Blake Lively.
Sources close to Baldoni have confirmed that he will be absent from the event, with his production company, Wayfarer Studios, still planning to support the film at the festival.
Concerns Over Drama Impacting Film’s Success
The decision to step back has been influenced by concerns that Baldoni’s legal troubles could overshadow Johansson’s film.
The controversy surrounding Baldoni’s legal battle with Lively and Reynolds—who have been involved in a smear campaign and accusations of sexual harassment—could distract from the film’s spotlight.
Eleanor the Great marks Johansson’s debut as a director, and while the film is set to compete at the festival, Baldoni’s involvement is under a cloud of legal issues.
A Contentious Legal Battle at the Heart of the Drama
Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, and its CEO Jamey Heath have been accused by Lively of sexual harassment.
Additionally, Lively alleges she faced a targeted smear campaign ahead of the release of It Ends With Us, a film also associated with Baldoni.
In response, Baldoni filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and the New York Times, which reported Lively’s accusations.
The legal battle has had significant financial repercussions for Baldoni, including losing agency representation and being cut from several major projects.
Impact of the Legal Feud on ‘Eleanor the Great’
Famed attorney Lisa Bloom, who is familiar with high-profile legal cases, including those involving sexual harassment allegations, weighed in on how this legal drama could affect Johansson’s movie.
Bloom suggested that the success or failure of Eleanor the Great could play a role in the ongoing legal fight, as Baldoni might use its performance as evidence in court to argue about the damages he is seeking.
Bloom also pointed out that the film’s release could be overshadowed by media inquiries regarding the Lively-Baldoni lawsuit.
Johansson’s Directorial Debut Amidst the Chaos
Scarlett Johansson has kept a low profile regarding the drama surrounding her collaborators, but her new project, Eleanor the Great, has already generated buzz.
The film features 95-year-old June Squibb as the title character, a woman in her nineties who returns to New York after the death of her best friend.
The cast also includes notable actors like Chiwetel Ejiofor, and the movie is set to premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes in May.
Humorous Jabs and Media Attention
While Johansson has yet to comment publicly on the legal issues involving Lively and Baldoni, Johansson’s husband, Colin Jost, made light of the situation during a comedic segment on Saturday Night Live.
In a playful jab, Jost compared the tension between Baldoni and Lively to a failed relationship between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, joking that it was like Baldoni claiming he’d love to work with Blake Lively again.
The ongoing legal saga is clearly casting a long shadow over what should be an exciting moment for Johansson as she steps into the director’s chair for the first time.
With Cannes just around the corner, it remains to be seen how the press and public will react to the intersection of Baldoni’s legal troubles and Johansson’s film debut.