Justin Baldoni to SKIP Cannes Film Festival for Scarlett Johansson Movie Amid Rapidly Approaching Blake Lively Trial; Know More

Justin Baldoni has decided to skip the premiere of Scarlett Johansson’s film Eleanor the Great at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The actress’s directorial debut is financed by Baldoni’s Wayfarer Productions. The Jane the Virgin actor’s surprising decision comes amid his ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

Despite his absence, the studio “will continue to champion this film and will have a presence at the festival to support the cast and filmmakers,” according to the Daily Mail. Recently, concerns were raised that Johansson, who happens to be Reynolds’ ex-wife, could be “overshadowed” by the sensationalized legal drama.

Meanwhile, Lively has been promoting her latest movie, Another Simple Favor, which is reportedly in competition with Eleanor the Great. That’s why Baldoni’s decision to step away from the film’s promotional event came as a surprise.

Baldoni also serves as an executive producer on the film, which is set to premiere at the global film festival on May 20. The legal battle between him and his It Ends With Us co-star began after the Gossip Girl alum filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him in December 2024.

She also accused him of invasion of privacy, indecent behavior at work, and launching an online smear campaign against her, among other claims. In response, the Five Feet Apart director filed a $400 million countersuit for extortion and defamation.

Last month, renowned attorney Lisa Bloom told the Daily Mail that the legal battle could affect the Black Widow actress’s directorial debut.

“The success or failure of this Baldoni-produced film will be highly relevant in court,” she claimed. She explained that if the movie fails, Baldoni could blame it on Lively, but if it succeeds, it would undermine his argument that she damaged his career in Hollywood.

“And expect ScarJo and other big names involved in the film to be subpoenaed to testify at the Lively-Baldoni trial,” Bloom added.