Justin Baldoni and his wife Emily have broken a years-long public silence with a five-minute video addressing unspecified "painful things" and personal healing. The release of the video comes shortly after Blake Lively was notably excluded from Taylor Swift's recent wedding, an event attended by over a thousand guests.
The Baldonis' statement, released on Wednesday, alluded to a period where they felt unable to speak publicly, with Justin Baldoni stating, "We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it's not because we haven't had anything to say." He described their healing process as non-linear and emphasized the importance of rethinking what is real and what matters, with his wife adding that their children are central to this.
Details within the speech have drawn parallels to themes previously articulated by Swift. Baldoni mentioned fans who "when we didn't have a voice, were our voice" and thanked his wife for praying that people would "have discernment." He added, "So many of you had discernment. You used your intuition, you trusted it, and you gave your time to fight for us." This echoed Swift's recent public comments about the importance of trusting human intuition, a concept she has highlighted in her induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in interviews.
Lively and Baldoni were previously involved in a lawsuit that was settled in May 2024, following accusations of sexual harassment. The fallout from the legal proceedings reportedly damaged Lively's friendship with Swift. Text messages surfaced during this period where Lively had referred to herself as "Khaleesi" from Game of Thrones and cast Swift and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, as her "dragons." The destruction of her friendship with Swift is seen by some as a significant blow to Lively's public standing and career.
Despite the legal settlement and public estrangement from Swift, Lively attended the Met Gala shortly after the case was resolved, signaling a desire to return to public life. However, insiders suggest that her career has been negatively impacted by the controversy, with one Disney executive reportedly stating that the lawsuit "ruined her in Hollywood." Lively has not made a film since "It Ends With Us," the project at the center of the legal dispute.
Sources close to Baldoni indicated that the couple relocated to Nashville before Christmas, seeking a more peaceful environment. Their appearance, with Justin in an olive green sweatshirt and Emily in dusky pink, has been noted as potentially referencing colors worn by Baldoni during a February court appearance. The Baldonis concluded their video by stating they "feel so loved" and teasing further communication, saying, "There is so much more to say. And we will say it."