Baha’i Faith Implicated in Lawsuit

Celebrity lawsuits never fail to attract attention for obvious reasons. Many of these cases are largely inconsequential, and they would be considered routine if not for their participants. That said, celebrity lawsuits often educate the public about how our legal system works, and to that end, one might argue they serve a useful purpose. For example, many Americans learned new things about defamation cases after watching the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial. The Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively lawsuit is threatening to give this case a run for its money – and a new detail suggests that the Baha’i faith could play a surprisingly major role. 

Baldoni Accused of Imposing His Baha’i Religious Beliefs on Film Set

Although no one is suing Baldoni for this behavior (yet), anonymous sources have reportedly told The Hollywood Reporter that he “imposed his religious beliefs” on people on the set of It Ends With Us. This is, of course, the film that sparked a major lawsuit between him and Blake Lively, with the latter accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and other offenses. In return, Baldoni sued Lively for defamation. 

The Hollywood Reporter claims to have received reports of inappropriate religious behavior on the film set. This includes an excessive amount of physical touching, including repeated hugs initiated by Baldoni. Lively alluded to the influence of Baldoni’s religion in her lawsuit, and some have referred to this as “background noise” on set. 

There are also strange reports about Baldoni claiming to have the ability to speak with the dead. In addition, Baldoni is alleged to have asked God for guidance when making major creative decisions about the film. Finally, he allegedly hired his best friend to act in the film solely because this individual shared his faith. 

What is the Baha’i Faith?

So, what exactly is this faith that reportedly played such a major role in the production of It Ends With Us? The religion is called “Baha’i,” and it was originally created in Iran during the 1800s. Its main teaching is that all religions should unite and work together. Adherents also advocate for universal education, peace, and the abolition of class divisions. There are no priests or standardized rituals in this religion. People who believe in Baha’i are not allowed to drink alcohol or consume drugs. 

With so few requirements and rituals attached to this faith, it is unclear how Baldoni’s faith might have influenced the set. For starters, there is nothing in the religion that states people should hug regularly, so conflating Baldoni’s hugs with this faith could be slightly disingenuous. There is also nothing in the religion that involves communicating with the dead. 

With no real way to authenticate the reports made by The Hollywood Reporter, one has to wonder whether Baldoni’s faith has anything to do with the core issues of the lawsuit. This may be an attempt to draw attention to the actor’s rare faith, and perhaps to call into question his reliability as this legal battle spirals close and closer to trial. 

The Goal of the Universal Life Church’s Blog

Each month, various cases test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.