Red Flags In Emily And Justin Baldoni's Relationship From Our Dating Coaches

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Justin Baldoni's relationship with women has come under a lot of scrutiny lately. Since the first whispers of trouble began brewing between him and "It Ends with Us" co-star Blake Lively — who has accused Justin of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment — the public has raised questions. Justin's reputation hasn't been helped by a slew of back-and-forth lawsuits, interview finger-pointing, and stiff red-carpet appearances.

Rumors of Justin's allegedly problematic behavior are made stranger by the fact that he is, by all accounts, a happily married man. But as we know, the appearance of a blissful marriage isn't always a guarantee that things are okay at home. So, what's really going on between Justin and Emily Baldoni? For a professional opinion, Glam spoke exclusively to holistic dating coaches Orna and Matthew Walters of Love on Purpose. When it comes to finding the one, these experts have seen it all — they even wrote a book, "Getting It Right This Time: Break Free from Your Hidden Blocks to Lasting Love," about all the obstacles that can stand in the way of a successful romance.

"Every couple faces challenges — but the strongest relationships are built on a foundation of emotional authenticity, clear boundaries, shared values, and personal responsibility," say the Walters. "The question isn't whether life will throw curve balls; it's whether the couple can face these moments as allies, or whether one person ends up carrying the weight alone, or feels alienated by their spouse." Unfortunately, the Walters also say that Justin and Emily's union shows signs of potential trouble ahead. From questionable wedding vows to dodgy work-life boundaries, the Baldonis should keep a weather eye on these looming red flags in their marriage.

At their wedding in 2013, Justin Baldoni took an unusual tack in the vows he'd written for his wife, Emily Baldoni. In a YouTube video of the event, Justin says, "I want to start off my vows to you with an apology: I'm sorry for all my faults, my shortcomings, my insecurities, and my ego — and for everything that I've ever done or said that's hurt you, and everything that I've brought to this relationship that hasn't been pure."

The vow continued with a pledge of his love and loyalty, but Justin had already struck a strange chord. According to Orna and Matthew Walters, this turned what should be a sweet occasion into a potential warning sign. "While humility is essential in any relationship, it's notable that the vows — traditionally a moment of deep commitment and clarity — began with a list of past wounds," they observe. Speaking exclusively to Glam, the love coaches dive deeper, saying, "When someone uses an important public event like their wedding to seek forgiveness, it may signal that repair hasn't been fully made in private. Actions are required (not words) for a couple to heal and regain trust. Justin's vows appear to be a red flag that this couple doesn't have the skills to facilitate a proper repair."

At least Justin has some self-awareness. As the Walters acknowledge, "Taking responsibility is an important step to foster trust in a relationship." But recognizing a problem isn't the same thing as solving it. Worse still, the way Justin frames his relationship dynamic with Emily could indicate an imbalance. "If one partner consistently shows up as wounded, while the other is presented as having no flaws, it's a red flag for codependency," the Walters warn. While it's not always easy to curb codependency in a relationship, they do note, "Love thrives when both people feel fully seen and safe — not when one is cast in the role of healer and the other in need of saving."

Some celebs take great pains to protect their intimacy. For example, privacy is one of the many green flags in Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes' relationship. But Justin Baldoni has no qualms about putting himself out there, even though Emily Baldoni seems more inclined toward discretion — presenting another possible red flag. "It's true that opposites attract; extroverts commonly partner up with introverts. However, when one partner shares publicly about the relationship significantly more than the other, it can signal a difference in how each person defines emotional safety," Orna and Matthew Walters explain exclusively to Glam.

One glaring example of this dissonance lies in the way Justin originally proposed to his beloved. In a move that seemed weirdly staged for social-media virality, the budding filmmaker created a nearly 30-minute-long video of different proposal tactics, tricked Emily into viewing the video while she waited for him in an empty restaurant, and recorded her reaction to post online. A for effort, we suppose, but not all viewers appreciated Justin's extensive gesture. In fact, some of them dubbed it narcissistic, if not an out-and-out social-media stunt. "It's 27 minutes long! That's insane! He made her sit silently through a short film starring himself... as a way to propose. It's not sweet, it's just weird and creepy. All the red flags," wrote one user on Reddit. Even Emily herself confessed to feeling awkward during the proposal. As she told Hollywood Law Group in 2013, "Obviously, I know what's going on and I have nobody there to celebrate with. It's just me and the TV."

The Walters suggest that Justin needs to worry less about the optics of his relationship with Emily and more about their genuine connection. "For love to last, both people need space to be seen — not just through a public lens, but behind closed doors where intimacy is built by being emotionally authentic."

The legal drama surrounding Justin Baldoni's film "It Ends with Us" has seen a lot of twists. Initial press coverage cast star Blake Lively as a controlling diva, but the tide quickly turned when she slammed Baldoni for sexual harassment. Their erratic communication certainly hasn't helped clarify the situation. If anything, the slew of texts, emails, and voice notes has turned into a morass of pseudo-evidence — and has also sparked questions about Baldoni's lack of professional distance.

As Orna and Matthew Walters point out, "Justin reportedly sent a lengthy, late-night voice memo to co-star Blake Lively at 2 a.m. While he may have intended it as a work-related message, the timing and emotional tone of the outreach raised eyebrows — especially given the nature of their creative collaboration." Even ignoring that there are already red flags in Blake Lively's relationship with Ryan Reynolds, it's not a good look. Could you argue that Baldoni is just a workaholic? Perhaps. But the Walters feel that lines were definitely crossed.

"In a relationship, emotional boundaries are just as important as physical ones. To get in touch with someone outside the marriage in the middle of the night — especially to process thoughts or feelings — is a red flag," the dating coaches exclusively tell Glam. "One partner is searching for emotional connection from a person who is not their spouse. ... the fact that Justin felt entitled to text his co-star at all hours is a serious breach of work-life balance, indicating an issue with boundaries." The best-case scenario is that Baldoni didn't consider how a wee-hours voice note might be overly casual or even invasive. But this isn't exactly a glowing review of his situational awareness. As the Walters suggest, "A person who doesn't honor boundaries in a professional setting is unlikely to respect boundaries within their marriage."

Speaking of work-life boundaries, Justin and Emily Baldoni are more than just spouses — the couple has occasionally collaborated on projects. For instance, the duo worked together on Justin's now-defunct charity event The Skid Row Carnival of Love and Emily's "We Are Amma" motherhood brand. Emily has even shown up as a guest on Justin's "Man Enough" podcast. But while supporting each other can be a beautiful thing, their marriage might also experience extra discord from all these professional collaborations.

"Justin and Emily have worked together on several projects, integrating their professional and personal lives. While this may look like alignment, it can create subtle friction if emotional and logistical roles start to overlap too much," caution Orna and Matthew Walters. "Couples who work together often struggle to maintain emotional intimacy and chemistry. Without intentional space for intimacy, the relationship can begin to feel more like a business partnership than a marriage."

This isn't a kiss of death — many successful Hollywood couples have blurred the lines between the romantic and the professional. It all comes down to how the Baldonis navigate this duality. As the Walters exclusively tell Glam, "It's not the collaboration that's the problem — it's what gets left out when work always comes first. For love to last couples need dedicated space where connection isn't measured in meetings or shared tasks, but in vulnerability, play, and mutual desire." In other words, co-working spouses like Justin and Emily need to carefully tend to the spark in their relationship and make sure their romance doesn't boil down to pure pragmatism.

The back-and-forth accusations surrounding the "It Ends with Us" scandal are already exhausting, and these social and legal pressures surely weigh heavily on Justin and Emily Baldoni. Worse yet, things have barely gotten started. The trial date for Blake Lively's lawsuit isn't scheduled until March 2026, and who knows how long it will stretch on.

In short, the Baldonis are in for a period of trials and tribulations that could strain the bounds of their marriage. "For any couple, public controversy — especially of this magnitude — can deeply affect the emotional ecosystem of the relationship," explain Orna and Matthew Walters. "Outside stressors don't automatically break a relationship, but how a couple responds to them reveals a lot. When one partner is at the center of public controversy, the couple needs trust, open communication, and shared values to move through the issues together."

On one hand, Emily seems to be doubling down on her commitment to Justin. In January 2025, she posted on Instagram for his birthday, writing, "I'd choose you again and again." On the other hand, this is (so far) the only thing she's posted since January 2024. For months, Emily has avoided addressing Justin's quagmire. Discretion can be the better part of valor, but given Justin's penchant for public transparency, he'd probably appreciate a supportive shout-out. "If a couple doesn't share the same values, their differing strategies for managing stress can doom the relationship," the Walters exclusively reveal to Glam. "Instead of supporting each other through a united front, their differences will create an emotional split long before a public one." We'll see. Only time — and, perhaps, the outcome of certain legal battles — will tell if we're currently witnessing cracks in the Baldonis' foundation and how far those cracks will spread.