Director Justin Baldoni’s religious beliefs are being brought up in his ongoing legal drama with It Ends With Us costar Blake Vigorous.
Baldoni is a member of the Baha’i faith, a faith founded within the nineteenth century that focuses on the unity of humanity and the elimination of prejudice. Each of the administrators’ parents converted to Baha’i before he was born. His religious beliefs, nevertheless, allegedly played a job within the on set drama between him and Vigorous throughout the production of It Ends With Us.
In Vigorous’s initial December 2024 sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, the actress claimed she felt “alarmed” upon learning the actor solid because the doctor in her character’s birth scene, Adam Mondschein, was Baldoni’s “best friend.” A feature published by The Hollywood Reporter in February 2025 noted that Mondschein, like Baldoni, was a member of the Baha’i community as well. (Vigorous’s December 2024 sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni doesn’t mention the faith by name.)
Per THR, a source who worked on Baldoni’s 2019 film Five Feet Apart claimed the director “talk[ed] about his religion lots” on set, adding, “This had shades of Scientology but with less of the prominence and other people hovering in any respect times.”
Keep scrolling to search out out more concerning the Baháʼí Faith:
Justin Baldoni initially appeared to don’t have anything but positive things to say about his It Ends with Us costar, Blake Vigorous, as reports of an on set feud proceed circulating online. The drama officially hit theaters in August 2024, and Baldoni, who each directed and starred opposite Vigorous, has heaped praise on his onscreen partner. […]
When Did Bahá’í Start?
The Baha’i Faith was established in Iran under the Universal House of Justice in 1963, the identical 12 months that founder Baháʼu’lláh claimed to be the prophet foretold by the Báb, an Iranian religious leader who died in 1850. Per the faith’s official website, the origins of the Baha’i Faith began in 1819, the identical 12 months the Báb was born.
The Bahá’í World News Service reports that there are currently greater than 5 million members world wide. Besides Baldoni, other Bahá’í celebrities include Rainn Wilson and Penn Badgley.
What Is the Universal House of Justice?
Established in 1963, the Universal House of Justice is the elected head and international governing council of the Baháʼí Faith. The functions of the body are defined by Baháʼu’lláh, which cover how you can implement Baháʼí laws, teaching and education, addressing social issues and caring for the weak and poor.
Per the official website, the Universal House of Justice “is charged with applying the Bahá’í teachings to the necessities of an ever-evolving society.” Baháʼu’lláh’s guidelines for the council — the members of that are elected — were further clarified by his son, Abdu’l-Bahá, after his death, who wrote that the “equality of men and ladies is a longtime fact.”
Despite the so-called established fact, the web site notes that membership for the Universal House of Justice is men only.
“While this will likely be surprising, it’s a provision that was ordained by Bahá’u’lláh Himself,” it reads. “Abdu’l-Bahá has stated that its wisdom will probably be clearly understood in the long run. Since the Bahá’í Writings are stuffed with unequivocal statements concerning the equality of men and ladies, nevertheless, the query of male membership of the Universal House of Justice can by no means be thought to be an indication of the prevalence of men over women.”
What Do Baha’is Imagine?
A pillar of the Baha’i Faith focuses on teaching the essential value of all religions and the unity of all people. Per the official website’s overview, their beliefs address what are called “essential themes” including the “oneness” of God, religion and humanity, harmony between religion and science, equality of the sexes and the importance of education.
Bahá’ís also consider within the “inherent nobility of the human being,” the “development of spiritual qualities,” the “integration of worship and repair,” with particular importance paid to the “dynamics of the relationships which are to bind together individuals, communities, and institutions as humanity advances towards its collective maturity.”
What Do Bahá’ís Do?
For a Bahá’í, the aim of the religion is to “encourage individuals and communities as they work to enhance their very own lives and contribute to the advancement of civilization,” per the web site, which also states that many followers have “sought to use Bahá’í principles to their lives and work.”
Bahá’ís are encouraged to higher their communities, sometimes through volunteering and outreach, all with the intention of “serving humanity and refining their inner lives.” A whole lot of focus is paid on the betterment of the “human soul” and dealing toward the “realization of Bahá’u’lláh’s stupendous vision for humanity’s coming of age.”
Moreover, as a part of their devotion, followers are encouraged to take a pilgrimage to the faith’s holy site in Haifa, Israel. Baldoni shared a snapshot from his own pilgrimage via Instagram in December 2022, writing, “So grateful to be back in Haifa visiting the #bahai holy land on a 3 day pilgrimage. Praying within the Shrines of `Abdu’l-Bahá and The Báb was the spiritual cleanse I needed. Overflowing with gratitude tonight.”
Do Bahá’ís Pray?
Pilgrimages and prayer is integral to the Bahá’í Faith, “whether at the extent of the person, the community, or the institutions.” Followers are encouraged to “turn their hearts in prayer to God repeatedly throughout the day.”
The official site notes that “as well as, meetings of consultation and gatherings where friends have come together to undertake one or one other project commonly begin and end with prayers.” Bahá’ís also host gatherings and “devotional meetings” for friends and other Bahá’ís to “unite together in prayer, often in each other’s homes,” which are supposed to “serve to awaken spiritual susceptibilities throughout the participants, and in concert with the acts of service they perform, result in a pattern of community life that’s infused with the spirit of devotion and focused on the attainment of spiritual and material prosperity.”
In keeping with The Hollywood Reporter’s Friday feature, a source who previously worked with Baldoni on the 2019 film Five Feet Apart claimed that they had “never worked with a male director who was so fearful about everyone’s emotional and mental well-being.” The source stated Baldoni had an “openness and emotionality to his style that was more typical of a girl, and it probably wouldn’t be a difficulty if it was a [female director] due to the preconceived notions of gender.”
Nevertheless, other sources told the outlet that because Baldoni was each leading man and director of It Ends With Us, the influence of his religion on set was more pronounced, allegedly leading crew members in prayer on the primary day of production where he would “ask God for guidance” before making creative decisions.
What Has Blake Vigorous Said In regards to the Baha’i Faith?
In a May 2024 email to Ben Affleck, Vigorous shared her experience working on It Ends With Us.
“I ended up rewriting and restructuring your entire script. I also ended up having to direct the movie via the chaotic clown ‘director’/actor/producer/financier/studio head at the middle. Yes that’s all the identical person,” Vigorous wrote per unsealed court documents obtained by Us in January 2026. “Oh and did I mention he and everybody he had on the movie is in a cult.”
Vigorous went on to say she is in a “bake off” with Baldoni within the edit and asked Affleck to look at the movie and share any feedback he had.
In an October 2025 deposition, Baldoni said that he had a “prayer gathering” ahead of being questioned by attorneys.
In keeping with court documents obtained by People, Baldoni acknowledged that some people view his religion as a cult.
“It wouldn’t be the primary time people around this case have said I used to be in a cult,” he shared. “I believe anytime anyone makes a spiritual joke, I believe that’s not OK. It seems to have happened lots on this case.”