Former employees at Justin Baldoni’s company have accused him of performing “toxic positivity” and “evangelizing” his Bahai faith in the workplace.
The claims were published on Wednesday by The Los Angeles Times in a profile on the embattled “It Ends With Us” star, who also directed and produced the film that is at the heart of his legal fight with co-star Blake Lively over allegations of sexual harassment and defamation.
One person who worked at Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, told the outlet that Baldoni’s bright demeanor felt insincere.
“It was constant positivity all the time — I would say toxic positivity,” the ex-employee said. “I’m always a little dubious of people who advertise themselves as disruptors of the status quo or quote-unquote ‘good people.’ It felt phony.”
However, other Wayfarer vets had positive impressions from their experience at the company.
“He is highly creative and in tune with his spiritual side,” Baldoni’s former personal and executive assistant Melissa Ames told the LA Times. “He has a heart for helping others. Working at Wayfarer was one of the best times of my life.”
Before the “It Ends With Us” scandal, Baldoni built a personal brand based on self-betterment.
The actor co-founded the Skid Row Carnival of Love in 2014, an event aimed at supporting the unhoused in Los Angeles. In 2021, he released “Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity,” a book that challenges traditional ideas of masculinity and started a podcast under the same name.
A spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer responded to the allegations, telling The Post, “There have never been any reported complaints regarding the workplace culture, or any communicated issues regarding the platforms of its founders.”
“If any guidance was ever provided to employees of how to conduct their written correspondence, it was to ensure that the activities of its employees remained professional and aligned with the ethos of the company. Wayfarer believes that joy and positivity are the essence of good work, and they stand by this statement.”
Meanwhile, other former workers expressed discomfort with Baldoni and other executives allegedly pushing their Bahai faith into the workplace.
“There was an evangelizing aspect to the way Justin spoke about the faith that, in my opinion, felt professionally inappropriate,” one past employee said.
Born in 19th century Iran, the Bahai faith emphasizes racial and gender equality, social justice and global peace, with its central goal defined being to “unify mankind and coexist,” according to Idaho State University Middle Eastern studies professor and Bahai Zackery M. Heern, who spoke with the LA Times.
“Bahai values were a driving force behind everything they did,” claimed another former staffer, who wasn’t as perturbed about the role faith played at Wayfarer. “It came up routinely.”
Referring to Chicago billionaire Steve Sarowitz, a believer in the Bahai faith who owns a controlling stake in Wayfarer, the ex-employee also said, “As a newer Baha’i member, Steve wanted to talk about it all the time.”
A spokesperson for Baldoni and Wayfarer confirmed to The Post that the founders of Wayfarer Studios are Bahai but added that the majority of its senior leadership and staff are not and that no Bahai-related activities are ever mandated by the company.
“As all of Wayfarer’s projects are rooted in a belief system that stems from various faiths and backgrounds, speaking from a place of spirituality is commonplace,” the spokesperson told The Post. “Employees are encouraged to celebrate and practice their individual beliefs however they see fit, a message which is proudly supported by leadership.”
Baldoni has been in the spotlight since he was sued by Lively in December. The “A Simple Favor” actress accused him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a public smear campaign against her.
The “Jane the Virgin” alum has denied all of Lively’s accusations. In January, he countersued her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation, extortion and more — allegations their team denied.
