Justin Baldoni candidly discussed his abusive relationship with his college girlfriend. The 40-year-old director and star of “It Ends With Us” recounted his experience of “sexual trauma” inflicted by his ex during an appearance on Elizabeth’s Day’s “How to Fail” podcast on Wednesday. Baldoni revealed that he met a “beautiful young woman” while attending Long Beach State and began dating her to fill a void where he felt inadequate. “It was a very bad relationship, and I contorted myself to be what she wanted,” Baldoni explained. “I had strong values and opinions, but they were easily manipulated, leading me to lose my sense of self. It became emotionally abusive.”

Baldoni continued, “I experienced sexual trauma in that relationship, which I struggled with for years because I believed men couldn’t experience such trauma at the hands of a woman. Society reinforced this belief, but it can happen. Lines can be crossed, and manipulation can occur. For 15 years, I denied what happened, telling myself I wanted it, echoing the experiences of many women.” Baldoni, who hoped to save himself for marriage, didn’t fully acknowledge the abuse until he spoke with a therapist, who helped him recognize he was a victim of sexual trauma. “That was when I broke,” he said, noting that the relationship ended in cheating and infidelity.

After leaving college and moving to LA, Baldoni found his path to acting. He has been married to his wife, Emily, since 2013 and they have two children. On the podcast, Baldoni also disclosed his ADHD diagnosis at age 40 and discussed a “near breakdown” while filming “It Ends With Us” with Blake Lively. “There were moments where I had to leave and shake it out,” he said, describing a scene where his character’s dangerous nature was evident. “After that scene, I had a near breakdown and had to cry and shake because of the pain.” Baldoni admitted it took him four months to let go of his violent character.

Baldoni and Lively faced feud rumors when “It Ends With Us” was released. Sources claimed creative differences created a “difficult” atmosphere on set, prompting Baldoni to hire a crisis public-relations manager. Meanwhile, Lively faced backlash for her “tone-deaf” behavior during the film’s promotion.

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