Justin Baldoni, well-known for his role in Jane the Virgin and his directorial success with Five Feet Apart, recently faced legal scrutiny tied to one of his past projects. Surprisingly, his current attorney, Bryan Freedman, once filed a lawsuit against him.
Justin Baldoni’s Attorney Controversy
Bryan Freedman, now defending Baldoni against sexual harassment claims involving co-star Blake Lively, previously represented Travis Flores, a writer who claimed Baldoni stole his script. Flores alleged that Baldoni’s movie, Five Feet Apart, borrowed ideas from his original work Three Feet Distance.
Both projects center on young characters dealing with cystic fibrosis, which led Flores to accuse Baldoni of copyright infringement. He claimed that Baldoni got access to his story through mutual industry contacts, turning it into the 2019 hit movie without his consent.
The lawsuit pointed out similarities in plotlines, character arcs, and themes, claiming Baldoni’s film was not an original creation. Five Feet Apart went on to earn $92 million worldwide, made on a modest $7 million budget. However, this success came with accusations of unethical practices.
The lawsuit was eventually settled outside court. Details about the settlement remain undisclosed, leaving fans to speculate about the legitimacy of Flores’ claims.
Despite their past courtroom face-off, Bryan Freedman now defends Baldoni in a highly publicized defamation lawsuit. Baldoni accuses Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds of launching a false narrative against him, involving serious sexual harassment claims.
