Actor and director Justin Baldoni stepped back into the public eye on October 13, 2026, attending a live taping of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Accompanied by his wife, Emily, and their two children, Baldoni joined the ballroom audience as a special guest of co-host Julianne Hough during the show’s “Super Bowl Night” episode.
The outing marks Baldoni’s first major public appearance in nearly two years, following a prolonged period out of the spotlight due to high-profile legal battles. Production sources stated that the appearance brought a sense of normalcy back to the family, who recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, in late 2025 to seek privacy.
A Decade-Long Friendship with Julianne Hough
Baldoni and Hough share a personal and professional relationship spanning over a decade. The pair originally worked together on the set of Baldoni’s 2016 documentary series, My Last Days, which he directed and produced through his production company, Wayfarer Studios.
The connection extended beyond the docu-series. Hough previously tapped Marinda Davis-a choreographer and dancer featured in My Last Days-to choreograph a routine that Hough performed during Season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. Insiders noted that Hough extended the invitation to Baldoni and his family as longtime friends supporting one another.
Transitioning Past High-Profile Litigation
Baldoni’s return to a public venue follows the resolution of a lengthy and contentious legal dispute involving actress Blake Lively, his co-star from the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us.
In December 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, alleging s*xual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign during production. Baldoni and Wayfarer denied all allegations and countersued for defamation and extortion for $400 million.
In May 2025, both parties reached an out-of-court settlement just weeks before a scheduled federal trial, agreeing to resolve the dispute without financial exchanges tied to the initial claims. Subsequent legal motions regarding attorneys’ fees concluded in August 2026, when U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman ordered Baldoni and Wayfarer to pay a fraction of the legal costs requested by Lively, effectively bringing the multi-year legal saga to a close.
Focus on Family and Future Projects
Since the settlement, sources close to Baldoni indicate his primary focus remains on his family-his children, Maiya and Maxwell-and rebuilding his personal and professional equilibrium. Over the summer, Baldoni took his children on an extended trip across the United Kingdom, Iceland, and Scotland.
On the professional front, Baldoni continues to produce independent projects through Wayfarer Studios. Last month, he reunited with former Jane the Virgin co-star Gina Rodriguez to celebrate the start of filming on her directorial debut, House of Guerrero, a boxing drama he is producing.
While industry experts note that public rehabilitation will require time and continued professional output, Baldoni’s appearance at Dancing with the Stars signals his first step toward integrating back into public life alongside his closest supporters.
