Justin Baldoni appears to be taking a brief pause from mounting legal drama.
The actor and director was recently spotted enjoying a family getaway in Costa Rica, where he spent time surfing and celebrating his birthday amid ongoing headlines surrounding his legal battle with Blake Lively. Photos obtained from the trip show Baldoni in notably upbeat spirits, despite the serious allegations and courtroom developments unfolding back home.
Baldoni, who turned 42 over the weekend, was photographed on Sunday — one day after his birthday — enjoying a beach day with his wife, Emily Baldoni, and their two children, daughter Maiya Grace, 10, and son Maxwell Roland-Samuel, 8. Witnesses captured moments of the family laughing together and taking in the ocean views, with Baldoni at one point wrapping his wife and son in a warm embrace as they stood along the shoreline.
The “Jane the Virgin” alum appeared relaxed and carefree as he spent much of the day surfing, skillfully balancing atop his board while riding the waves. He went shirtless, revealing his tanned, toned physique, and wore geometric-print board shorts. Baldoni accessorized with two chain necklaces and donned a protective surf helmet as he navigated the water. In between surf sessions, he was also seen opening a beverage and later riding a red ATV along the beach earlier in the day, dressed in a black muscle tee.
The tropical escape comes at a tense moment in Baldoni’s personal and professional life. Just days before the Costa Rica sighting, a trove of previously sealed text messages was made public as part of the ongoing lawsuit filed by Lively. The actress accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her on the set of their 2024 film It Ends With Us, allegations that have sparked widespread media scrutiny and industry reaction.
Among the unsealed messages were conversations involving studio executives and high-profile figures. In one exchange, a studio executive allegedly referred to Baldoni as a “moron” after he was accused of making comments that alluded to rape while promoting the film. Another set of messages revealed a candid exchange between Lively and her close friend Taylor Swift, in which the pop superstar referred to Baldoni as a “bitch” and sarcastically mentioned a “tiny violin.”
The texts also shed light on apparent strain within Lively and Swift’s friendship following the public fallout. In one message, Swift confided that she felt a noticeable “shift” in their relationship after Lively’s dispute with Baldoni became public.
“It feels awful to be in any way critical of any way you process what you’ve been going through, but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself,” Swift wrote, according to the documents. Lively reportedly apologized in response.
Sources say the release of the private messages has deeply upset Swift. A source told Us Weekly that the singer has been struggling with the exposure, describing the situation as emotionally taxing.
“It’s honestly been really hard for Taylor,” the source said. “Having her texts out there made her feel exposed and kind of violated, like something private suddenly wasn’t hers anymore. That doesn’t sit well with her.”
While Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni remains active, the director’s own legal maneuvering has hit a setback. His $400 million countersuit accusing Lively of defamation was dismissed last June, leaving the focus squarely on the original claims as the case continues to work its way through the courts.
For now, Baldoni appears to be seeking solace in family time and ocean waves, even as the legal storm surrounding him shows no signs of calming.
