Justin Baldoni, known for his acting and producing career, has made a significant decision regarding the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
Despite the anticipation surrounding Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, Baldoni will not be attending the premiere in support of the film.
This surprising move comes amid his ongoing legal troubles involving Johansson’s ex-husband Ryan Reynolds and Reynolds’ wife, Blake Lively.
Baldoni Steps Back from Cannes Amid Legal Battle
DailyMail.com has confirmed that Baldoni, 41, will not be present at the prestigious Cannes event, where Johansson’s movie is set to make its premiere.
Wayfarer Studios, the production company behind Eleanor the Great, will still be present to support the film, but Baldoni’s absence has raised eyebrows.
The decision to sit out the event stems from the concerns that the ongoing legal issues involving his production company could overshadow the film’s moment in the spotlight.
Baldoni, who is involved in a bitter legal dispute with Lively and Reynolds over their joint project It Ends With Us, has opted to distance himself from the media storm that has surrounded him.
With his company’s involvement in the movie and the looming court cases, it seems the actor and producer does not want to risk distracting from Johansson’s debut.
The Legal Drama: Lively’s Allegations and the Fallout
The feud between Baldoni and Lively has taken a disturbing turn.
Lively has accused Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath of sexual harassment, sparking a series of public accusations and legal battles.
In response, Baldoni filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and the New York Times, which reported the allegations.
The drama has had serious financial consequences for Baldoni, with sources claiming the controversy has cost him “three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars,” as reported by the Hollywood Reporter.
The situation has only intensified as Johansson’s directorial debut nears its release, with many wondering if the publicity around Baldoni’s legal issues will affect the film’s reception.
Legal Expert Weighs in on the Potential Fallout for Johansson’s Film
Lisa Bloom, a renowned attorney known for handling high-profile cases, shared her perspective with DailyMail.com on how the legal battles might influence the film’s success.
Bloom speculated that the outcome of Eleanor the Great could play a crucial role in Baldoni’s ongoing litigation.
If the film flops, Baldoni could use it as evidence in court to bolster his claims about the financial damage caused by the legal feud with Lively.
On the other hand, if the film succeeds, it might challenge his narrative of being unable to thrive in Hollywood due to the fallout from the case.
Bloom also raised the possibility that the film’s premiere could be overshadowed by constant press questions about the ongoing legal battle.
She suggested that key players in Johansson’s film, including Scarlett herself, might even be subpoenaed to testify during the trial about how much the case has cost Baldoni.
Scarlett Johansson’s Feature Directorial Debut
While the drama around Baldoni rages on, Johansson’s film continues to make headlines.
Eleanor the Great stars 95-year-old June Squibb as the title character, a nonagenarian who moves back to New York after the death of her best friend.
With an impressive cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film is set to premiere at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section.
Johansson, who made her directorial debut with this heartfelt project, has not publicly addressed the ongoing drama involving her film’s producer.
However, her husband Colin Jost made a lighthearted remark about the situation on Saturday Night Live last month.
While poking fun at political tensions between Trump and Zelensky, Jost quipped about Baldoni’s strained relationship with Lively, suggesting that it was like Baldoni wanting to work with Blake again despite the intense legal issues.
What’s Next for Baldoni, Johansson, and the Legal Battle?
As the Cannes Film Festival draws near, all eyes are on Johansson’s film and how it will fare in the midst of this complex legal and media frenzy.
For Baldoni, the future remains uncertain, as the ongoing lawsuits and public scrutiny continue to affect both his career and personal life.
With legal experts predicting more developments in the case, it remains to be seen how these high-stakes court battles will impact the broader entertainment landscape.
For now, Johansson’s directorial debut seems set to shine on its own, but the shadow of Baldoni’s legal troubles will likely continue to linger.