Justin Baldoni Signs Multi-Book Deal With Harper Collins (EXCLUSIVE)

Elizabeth Wagmeister
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Director, actor and entrepreneur Justin Baldoni is adding author to his ever-growing resume.

Baldoni is set to release his debut book, “Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity,” next spring. “Man Enough” is part of a major deal with Harper Collins, which has signed Baldoni to write three books.

“Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity” will be released on April 27, 2021, through HarperOne — an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.

Baldoni will also release a picture book and a middle-grade nonfiction book in late 2021 and 2022, respectively.

“Man Enough: Undefining My Masculinity” was inspired by Baldoni’s 2017 TEDWomen Talk, titled, “Why I’m Done Trying to Be Man Enough,” which explored redefining masculinity, embracing insecurities and debunking societal norms for those who identify as male. The TEDTalk garnered more than two million views overnight, and currently has more than 56 million views on TED’s website and Facebook.

The book will explore Baldoni’s personal experience of “undefining” his masculinity, as he tackles difficult and uncomfortable topics, bringing readers on a journey of what it means to be a good man, and human being, in today’s world.

“When I first began this journey of digging into my masculinity, I thought the work would be to redefine what it means to be a man. But through the process of writing this book, I realized that it’s not about redefining it, as much as it’s about undefining it,” Baldoni tells Variety.

“I hope these words can be a source of unity that evoke empathetic and compassionate conversations around masculinity, while also inviting people to a deeper understanding of themselves and what it means to be human in the world we live in,” Baldoni continues. “From the playground to movie sets, from classrooms to board rooms, I learned what it takes to be considered man enough in our world and this book is an — at times painfully — honest look into those messages and the journey I’m on to unlearn them; the journey I’m on to not just undefine my masculinity, but to embrace my humanity.”

At the time of the 2017 TEDTalk, Baldoni was starring on The CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” which gave him significant mainstream exposure, but his star began to rise and his social media presence boomed as he began tackling topics of masculinity, relationships, fatherhood and more.

Baldoni then launched a digital series, also called “Man Enough,” which explored masculinity through roundtable conversations.

Baldoni is also an up-and-coming director and producer in Hollywood, directing CBS Films’ “Five Feet Apart” and The CW’s docuseries “My Last Days.” His film “Clouds,” which he directed and produced through his company, Wayfarer Studios, debuts Friday on Disney Plus.

“Clouds” marks the first feature film for Wayfarer Studios, which Baldoni co-founded. The independent studio specializes in purpose-driven content meant to elevate the human spirit.

Terms of the multi-book deal were not disclosed. HarperOne vice president and editorial director Gideon Weil acquired the world rights to “Man Enough,” including audio from Johanna Castillo, a senior agent at Writers House Literary Agency. Claudia Gabel, editorial director at HarperCollins Children’s Books, acquired the same rights for the picture book and middle-grade nonfiction book.

More from Variety

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.