James Brolin Expresses Support for Justin Baldoni in Legal Conflict with Blake Lively

Veteran actor and director James Brolin is voicing his admiration for Justin Baldoni, publicly offering encouragement as the younger filmmaker navigates a high-profile legal clash with actress Blake Lively.

James Brolin has spoken out in support of Justin Baldoni as the actor-director continues to face legal conflict involving Blake Lively.

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the 84-year-old opened up about working with Baldoni in the 2011 short film "Royal Reunion," which he both directed and starred in.

"He asked so many questions, he was so helpful," Brolin said of Baldoni, best known for his role on "Jane the Virgin." "But I didn't realize he was learning, because very soon after that, this guy's directing his own stuff."

Brolin continued, "I'm so proud of Justin Baldoni because God, he's written two wonderful books on being a man and being courteous and teaching boys not to fear their fears — and now he's directed three movies. He started off with one episode of 'Jane the Virgin' and now he's directed three pictures and written two books and does TED talks to help people."

Addressing the legal issues surrounding the film adaptation of "It Ends With Us," which Baldoni directed and co-starred in opposite Lively, Brolin added, "I don't understand what's going on right now, but I hope it works out."

The ongoing legal dispute escalated on July 14, 2025, when Judge Lewis J. Liman granted Lively's motion for a protective order. As outlined in court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Lively is now required to provide Baldoni's legal team with access to a designated computer setup in a location of her choosing for deposition-related document review and handling.

In addition, Baldoni's legal representatives must notify Lively's team in advance with a full list of individuals who will be present at her deposition, which is scheduled for Thursday, July 17, 2025.

Prior to the ruling, Baldoni's attorneys opposed the motion in a July 13 letter to the court, asserting that Lively was leveraging her "celebrity status" to dictate deposition conditions, including the location.

Lively has accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation related to their work on "It Ends With Us," allegations Baldoni has firmly denied.

His counterclaims, which included charges of defamation and extortion against both Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, were dismissed by Judge Liman. His legal team has chosen not to file amended versions of those claims.

The case is set to go to trial in March 2026 in New York. Both Lively and Baldoni are expected to take the stand.