Justin Baldoni’s Lawyer Sued Him for Stealing a Script Before Representing Him

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The ongoing conflict between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively takes another unexpected turn, with Bryan Freedman, the lawyer involved in the current dispute over multiple issues related to ‘It Ends With Us’, interestingly having previously represented someone who alleged that Baldoni had engaged in questionable behavior, specifically, stealing their screenplay.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, attorney Freedman filed a lawsuit for Travis Flores in 2021, claiming that Flores had written a screenplay called “Three Feet Distance,” which was based on his own life experiences. Interestingly, Baldoni made a film titled “Five Feet Apart” in 2019, marking his directorial debut. The movie was credited to Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, and Tobia Iaconis as writers, and it was said to be inspired by the life of Claire Wineland, a cystic fibrosis patient. However, Flores alleged that he was collaborating with Baldoni on another project when he discovered the screenplay for “Five Feet Apart” and accused Baldoni of stealing his idea. It is reported that Flores’ “Three Feet Distance” was in the early stages of development at a Universal Pictures-affiliated company.

Flores hired Freedman as his attorney and filed a lawsuit against Baldoni and several others for copyright violation and breach of contract. Freedman argued that the similarities between the two projects were striking indeed. The lawsuit stated that “‘Both works feature a narrator who possesses one or more significant keepsakes from their deceased sister.’” Although the details are unknown, the case was eventually settled. Unfortunately, Flores passed away last year due to complications of his illness and can no longer discuss the outcome. Interestingly, Freedman is now representing Baldoni in this matter, which raises questions about the true nature of their relationship, as it may not align with the public’s perception of them.

‘Five Feet Apart’ Received Mixed Reviews Upon Release

From a film enthusiast’s perspective, I found myself captivated by “Five Feet Apart,” a movie that revolves around two young individuals battling cystic fibrosis (portrayed beautifully by Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse). Despite the challenging circumstances that require them to maintain a distance of six feet apart, their quest for connection unfolds on screen. However, the film’s reception among critics was somewhat divided, with it scoring 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. The general consensus is that while Richardson’s performance is commendable, the script often falls back on tired tropes, resulting in a narrative that doesn’t quite tug at the heartstrings as effectively as intended.

Regarding the movie, although it received a mixed reception from critics, it struck a chord with its intended audience, earning $45.7 million domestically and an additional $92.6 million internationally on a minimal budget of $7 million. It’s worth noting that the director, Baldoni, has a connection with the cystic fibrosis community. He directed the docuseries “My Last Days,” which brought him into contact with Wineland, a YouTuber who educated people about the condition. Flores was also a focus of this same docuseries, although she served as a consultant on the film, not Flores herself. This timeline could potentially explain how Baldoni obtained Flores’ script and transformed it into his directorial debut. However, the specifics of the settlement in the copyright infringement case remain undisclosed.

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2025-01-23 17:01