Gina Rodriguez is teaming up with longtime Jane the Virgin co-star Justin Baldoni for her theatrical directorial debut, prompting warnings from some fans still focused on the actor and producer's highly publicised legal history. The collaboration on boxing drama House of Guerrero was announced Monday, 14 September, with Baldoni and Andrew Calof producing through Wayfarer Studios.
The reunion comes about two months after Rodriguez publicly supported Baldoni, following the May settlement of the remaining claims in the Lively litigation with It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively. When Baldoni and his wife, Emily Baldoni, posted about moving forward after the case, Rodriguez commented, 'Love you friends. Por vida.' Now that the former co-stars are working together again, some social media users are questioning the partnership.
Fans React to the Baldoni Reunion
The announcement quickly drew scepticism from some Threads users. One commenter wrote, 'He'll be screaming at women on set in no time,' while another said, 'These two deserve each other.' A third joked, 'What's a little more lawsuits,' referring to the legal battles that followed It Ends With Us.
Others focused on Rodriguez's longstanding relationship with Baldoni. One user pointed out that the pair had already worked together for years on Jane the Virgin, while the original poster argued that Rodriguez had been one of his most vocal supporters during the litigation. That claim prompted further debate over whether her public support had anything to do with the new collaboration, although there is no evidence that Wayfarer Studios brought her onto the project as a reward for defending Baldoni.
The reaction was not uniformly critical. One commenter wrote, 'He was the victim though lol,' while another questioned whether the allegations against Baldoni had already been dismissed. Others argued that the public still does not know exactly what happened between Baldoni and Blake Lively, turning the film announcement into another flashpoint in the still-polarised debate surrounding the former It Ends With Us co-stars.
The backlash traces back to the fallout from It Ends With Us, which Baldoni directed and starred in alongside Lively. She sued Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and retaliation connected to the film's production and promotion. Baldoni denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds and others.
What Happened in the Blake Lively Case
A federal judge dismissed Baldoni's lawsuit in June 2025. In April 2026, the court dismissed 10 of Lively's 13 claims, including her sexual harassment claims, on jurisdictional and statutory grounds. The ruling did not determine whether the alleged conduct occurred or amounted to sexual harassment. The parties settled the remaining dispute in May before trial, meaning there was no jury verdict deciding whether the underlying harassment allegations were true.
The legal aftermath continued into August. A federal judge awarded Lively $363,245.40 in attorneys' fees and $44,206.35 in costs connected to defending herself against the dismissed defamation action, substantially less than the more than $8 million she had sought.
Baldoni's lawsuit against Blake Lively, was dismissed and HE had to pay her team in the end.
— Phantom (@effoff1988) September 11, 2026
Her lawsuit against him was NOT dismissed and SHE had to pay him not one cent.
He lost. SHE WON.
Yet toxic, misogynistic, greedy hacks like Kjersti Flaa are still going.
Pathetic: pic.twitter.com/QJi2Ff8tTT
Rodriguez's support for Baldoni has therefore remained notable because it continued after one of Hollywood's most closely watched legal disputes. The pair played Jane Villanueva and Rafael Solano on Jane the Virgin for five seasons and have remained close since the series ended. Baldoni posted from the new production Monday, writing, 'Hey Director @hereisgina Day 1,' alongside footage of the pair embracing.
'House of Guerrero' Predates the Controversy
Justin Baldoni is BACK producing alongside his Jane the Virgin co-star Gina Rodriguez! Together they’ll be producing the new boxing movie House of Guerrero! pic.twitter.com/5SjSySTPK7
— Zack Peter (@zackpeter) September 14, 2026
The timing of Baldoni's involvement should not be confused with the origin of the film itself. An earlier version of the project was announced in 2021 as an untitled boxing drama starring Ryan Garcia and later developed under the title Guerrero, with Rodriguez set to direct, produce, and co-star alongside professional boxer Ryan Garcia, years before Baldoni and Lively's legal dispute began.
The current film is based on an original story by Rodriguez and Bernardo Cubría and follows a promising boxer whose career is cut short before he receives another chance in the ring. Wayfarer Studios, 1Community and other partners are financing the project, while Rodriguez is also producing through I Can And I Will Productions.
'I've been boxing since I could walk, and I'm on a mission to show the world what fighting can teach you about life, if you let it,' Rodriguez said. She described the project as a story she has carried with her for years and said she wants the film to centre Latino families, heroes and experiences.
