Justin Baldoni is making headlines, but not for his smoldering looks or inspiring speeches. Nope! His former publicist, Stephanie Jones, just hit the legal stage with a lawsuit so spicy it could replace an entire season of The Real Housewives. Buckle up, this drama’s got everything: betrayals, shady text messages, and enough finger-pointing to put a “Spider-Man pointing” meme to shame.
Here’s the tea: Stephanie Jones, PR queen who’s repped Tom Brady (yes, that Tom), Venus Williams, and Justin himself until early 2024, claims her ex-employee Jennifer Abel was scheming harder than a soap villain. According to court docs obtained by TMZ (because where else would you get this kind of drama?), Jennifer allegedly teamed up with crisis PR wizard Melissa Nathan to snatch Justin as a client and, in the process, ruin Stephanie’s reputation.
The evidence? Alleged text messages so petty they make middle school group chats look classy.
In one message, Melissa apparently reassures Jennifer with, “Once you’re gone, we’ll be making bank together and living our best lives.” Uh, subtlety called—it wants its job back. Meanwhile, Jennifer allegedly let loose about Justin, calling him “pompous” and basically the PR equivalent of a high-maintenance diva. Ouch.
But wait, it gets juicier! Jennifer supposedly predicted Justin’s upcoming movie would flop harder than a fish out of water, and that he’d throw everyone under the bus faster than you can say “Hollywood meltdown.” If this was a group project, Jennifer was clearly the kid rolling her eyes in the corner.
Stephanie’s lawsuit also alleges the dynamic duo worked their media connections to spread hit pieces about her, including one titled “Who’s Afraid of Stephanie Jones?” (Answer: Apparently, everyone).
Things came to a head when Stephanie discovered Jennifer’s master plan back in August. Allegedly, Jennifer wasn’t just plotting—she was downloading confidential company files like she was auditioning for a corporate spy movie. Naturally, she got the boot. But not before Stephanie got her hands on these supposed texts, which now serve as the lawsuit’s pièce de résistance.
Now, Stephanie’s going after everyone: Justin, Jennifer, Melissa, and even Justin’s company, Wayfarer Studios. She’s suing for defamation, breach of contract, and what I can only assume is emotional distress caused by sheer audacity. She’s also demanding damages, though no word yet on how many zeros she’s looking for.
So, what’s next? A courtroom showdown? A Netflix docuseries? A group therapy session? Stay tuned, because this PR battle is giving us more plot twists than a Shonda Rhimes finale.
