During the podcast, Baldoni, 41, revealed that he had confided in his close friends and colleagues about his struggles. "This morning, I sent a text to my best friend Jamey and the president of my company, Tera, telling them that I wasn't in the best place," he admitted. "I was exhausted and hadn't given myself the time to recover or heal." Jamey Heath is the CEO of Wayfarer Studios, while Tera Hanks serves as its president.
Reflecting on his intense year, Baldoni acknowledged the toll it had taken on him. "There's been a lot of material success, but also a lot of emotional stress. It's been really hard on me and my family," he said. "I wear a lot of hats and carry a lot because I love what I do—I love my company, the people who work for us, and the impact we create. But sometimes, you can get swept away by success and lose yourself."
Baldoni recounted waking up at 4:30 a.m. with his "heart racing," realizing he was experiencing anxiety and feeling emotionally drained. He recognized that he hadn't allowed himself time to heal. "In the spirit of vulnerability, I even shared my feelings with my assistant and my publicist, Jennifer Abel," he said. "I'm a work in progress, always striving to be sincere and authentic while making an impact."
The episode was released amid Baldoni's ongoing legal battle with Lively. On December 21, Lively filed a lawsuit naming Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni, Heath, Abel, and others. Shortly after, on December 31, Baldoni countered with a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging libel and invasion of privacy after the publication of an exposé titled "We Can Bury Anyone': Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine."
A month later, Baldoni escalated the conflict by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Vision PR, Inc., alleging civil extortion and defamation.
