Justin Baldoni's father has stepped into the ring. Amid Baldoni and Blake Lively's ongoing legal conflict, the director's father, Sam Baldoni, reportedly showed support for his son on Instagram, while also seemingly dissing Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. On Wednesday, March 5, Sam, 61, shared a video on his Instagram Story of a bulletin board that read, "In a world full of Blakes and Ryans, be a Justin," reports the New York Post. Sam's post of the video is no longer on his Instagram account, but the video can still be found on the account of its original poster, @jennybenners, on TikTok. The board featured a photo collage of the It Ends with Us director and star along with news clippings about Baldoni, as well as words to describe him including "compassionate," "supportive" and "honest." One of the news clippings on the board referenced Baldoni donating earnings from his movies Clouds and 5 Feet Apart to Claire's Place Foundation. Sam reportedly reshared the video to his Instagram Story, alongside a heart hand emoji. PEOPLE reached out to reps for Baldoni and Lively for further comment. The Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Lawsuits, Explained: A Complete Breakdown of the Allegations, Key Players and Who's Said What Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Justin Baldoni, Sharon Baldoni, Sam Baldoni Justin Baldoni with Sharon and Sam Baldoni. Eric Charbonneau/Getty Sam's support for his son comes amid an ongoing legal battle between the It Ends with Us costars, which began when Lively sued Baldoni in December 2024 alleging sexual harassment and retaliation, both of which the actor and filmmaker has denied. Baldoni has since filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane's PR firm Vision PR, Inc. on claims of civil extortion, defamation and more. He also sued The New York Times for $250 million over a December 2024 article claiming he and his team conducted a smear campaign against Lively. Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in "It Ends With Us". Sony Pictures Entertainment One of the most recent developments between the lawsuits came on Thursday, March 6, when Lively and Reynolds's attorneys argued that Baldoni should not have access to the A-list couple's private text messages with other celebrities for fear of leaking them to the public. Attorneys for both Lively and Baldoni previously opted out of what they described as "inappropriate" and "premature” mediation, indicating that both cases in Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al. will go to trial as scheduled in March 2026. 3 Things to Know About Céline Dion's 3 Children Close.Khanh

Justin Baldoni’s Father Subtly Shades Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds on Instagram

Justin Baldoni’s father, Sam Baldoni, has stepped into the conversation amid his son’s ongoing legal dispute with Blake Lively.

On Wednesday, March 5, Sam, 61, reportedly showed his support for Justin on Instagram while seemingly throwing shade at Lively, 37, and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. According to the New York Post, Sam shared a video on his Instagram Story featuring a bulletin board that read, “In a world full of Blakes and Ryans, be a Justin.”

The board included a collage of photos of It Ends with Us director and star Justin Baldoni, news clippings about him, and adjectives such as “compassionate,” “supportive,” and “honest.” One of the clippings highlighted Baldoni’s charitable contributions, noting that he donated earnings from his films Clouds and Five Feet Apart to Claire’s Place Foundation.

Sam reportedly added a heart-hand emoji to his post before it was later removed from his account. However, the original video remains available on TikTok via user @jennybenners.

PEOPLE has reached out to representatives for Baldoni and Lively for comment.

Inside the Justin Baldoni & Blake Lively Legal Battle

Sam’s post comes amid a heated legal battle between Baldoni and his It Ends with Us co-star, which began in December 2024 when Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation—allegations he has denied.

Baldoni has since countersued Lively, Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Sloane’s PR firm, Vision PR, Inc., for civil extortion, defamation, and other claims, seeking $400 million in damages. Additionally, Baldoni is suing The New York Times for $250 million, alleging that a December 2024 article falsely portrayed him and his team as orchestrating a smear campaign against Lively.

Recent Legal Developments

Most recently, on Thursday, March 6, attorneys for Lively and Reynolds argued that Baldoni should not be granted access to the couple’s private text messages with other celebrities, expressing concerns about potential leaks.

Meanwhile, both legal teams have opted out of mediation, calling it “inappropriate” and “premature.” As a result, the lawsuits—Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al.—are set to proceed to trial in March 2026.