Who did Justin Baldoni play in Jane the Virgin? Co-star Brett Dier calls him an "amazing friend" amid legal skirmish with Blake Lively
It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni is receiving support from his Jane the Virgin co-star Brett Dier amid his legal battle with Blake Lively. According to People, Dier recently shared his thoughts on his former castmate’s ongoing lawsuit, calling it "really intense."
Justin Baldoni portrayed Rafael Solano in the CW satirical telenovela Jane the Virgin from 2014 to 2019. He played the owner of the Marbella Hotel and one of the love interests of Gina Rodriguez's Jane Villanueva.
Now, Brett Dier—who played Michael Cordero, Jane Villanueva's first husband on the show—spoke about their friendship in an interview for the Fan Mail newsletter, published on Thursday, May 22, 2025. As reported by People, Dyer said of Baldoni:
"He’s always been an amazing friend to me."
So Justin is being supported by The Real Housewives stars, Derek Hough, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift and Brett Dier
Brett Dier hopes the Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively battle “resolves in time”
Canadian actor Brett Dier, in a Fail Mail interview, was asked about the legal battle between his Jane the Virgin co-star Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively. Revealing that he gets asked about it “a lot,” the 35-year-old actor admitted it’s a "really intense situation" and added:
“I probably shouldn’t say much, but I’ll say this: I always loved Justin.”
Speaking about the It Ends With Us controversy, Brett Dier also expressed his hope for a resolution. He added:
“I’m just hoping everything resolves in time.”
How did Justin Baldoni receive support from his Jane the Virgin co-stars?
When It Ends With Us was released, Brett Dier, alongside his Jane the Virgin co-star Yael Grobglas—who also played Baldoni’s first wife on the show—went to theaters in August 2024 to support him. Sharing a post on Instagram, she wrote:
“Our genius friend @justinbaldoni made a phenomenal film. I cried an embarrassing amount and tried to hide it but probably failed. #itendswithus I am so proud of you and I love you friend !!!! Oh this is @brettdier and I at the theater after the film finished.”
Meanwhile, in a September interview with People, Gina Rodriguez recalled working with the It Ends With Us director. She said:
“Justin is a sweet, sweet soul. Man, he's a sweetie pie… That guy is — that's my brother forever. Forever and ever.”
After receiving Gina’s support, Justin Baldoni told People:
"You know what? That came at a very special time for me, and that meant a lot… She really showed up for me."
The actor expressed his love for Rodriguez and added that she is a “sweetheart” and “family forever." He also noted that he would want to work together with her sometime in the future.
"I'd love to work with her. She's so talented… I hope it's a movie that she directs. She's a fantastic director, so I would love to act in something that she directs."
Notably, Blake Lively filed her first lawsuit against Justin Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment, the creation of a hostile work environment, and emotional distress. Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued the Gossip Girl actress and her husband with a $400 million lawsuit. Their trial is scheduled for March 2026.
