Who Is Justin Baldoni, AKA Ryle from 'It Ends With Us'? Here's What We Know

With Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us coming to theaters next February, we're taking a moment to familiarize ourselves with the director and star, Justin Baldoni. The 39-year-old is making a name for himself in the entertainment world after appearing in several movies and TV shows, from Heroes to Happy Endings. And now, we're curious to know more about his life behind the scenes. Here's everything you need to know about Baldoni, AKA Ryle Kincaid from It Ends With Us.

1. Who Is Justin Baldoni?

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Justin Baldoni is an actor, producer and director with more than a dozen acting credits to his name. He's best known for playing Rafael Solano on the CW's satirical telenovela, Jane the Virgin, but he has also appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful, Charmed, Everwood, CSI: NY, Happy Endings and Heroes.

In addition, Baldoni produced and directed a few projects, including Clouds, Five Feet Apart, It Ends With Us and his upcoming film, Laughing at My Nightmare. Also, in 2017, the star created a male talk show called Man Enough through his media company, Wayfarer Entertainment.

2. What Is His Movie, It Ends With Us, About?

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Based on Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel of the same name, It Ends With Us follows Lily Bloom, a college graduate who moves to Boston and starts a relationship with a neurosurgeon named Ryle. However, chaos ensues when her high school sweetheart, Atlas, comes back into her life.

Baldoni plays Ryle in the film, and he stars alongside Blake Lively as Lily and Brandon Sklenar as Atlas.

3. Who Is Justin Baldoni's Wife?

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The actor is married to Emily Baldoni (previously Emily Fuxler), a Swedish actress who's best known for her leading role in Coherence. After dating for over a year, they tied the knot in Corona, California in July 2013.

Not surprisingly, Emily has appeared in some of her husband's films, like Five Feet Apart and Clouds, but she also boasts an impressive list of acting credits, including Bones, Mad Men, The Mentalist and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

4. Does Justin Baldoni Have Children?

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He and his wife share two children: an 8-year-old daughter, Maiya, and a 5-year-old son, Maxwell.

During his interview with The Bump, Baldoni revealed that he has a unique approach to parenting. He said, "Every night we say mantras, like 'I’m brave, I’m strong and powerful.' When it comes to her, I always lead with the more masculine words. 'I’m a leader, I’m resilient.' I want her to have these qualities despite the world telling her she shouldn’t. And for my son, I’m focusing on the qualities the world tells him it’s not okay to have: empathy, compassion, sensitivity. So at night, I start with more feminine words for him. 'I am patient, I’m loving, I’m kind.'”

5. Did Justin Baldoni Write a Book?

He sure did. In 2022, Baldoni released a children's book called Boys Will Be Human, described as a "self-esteem-building" guide for young boys.

During his appearance on The Today Show, he said, "I wrote this book kind of for myself. W hen I was 12 13, 14, it was one of the loneliest times in my life. It was tough. It's so hard when you're bullied and you start finding things on the internet you shouldn't buy, and you're introduced to a whole new world, and you don't have anyone to talk to. You feel like you're the only person in the world going through it."

He continued, "I thought it was really important to reach boys before they become men, before we put on all that armor that we spend our lives trying to take off."

6. Is He on Social Media?

Baldoni is very active on Instagram, where he has over three million followers. His posts range from project announcements and personal updates to heartwarming family posts—including his recent tribute to Emily in honor of their ten-year wedding anniversary.

The director also has an official Twitter account, but he hasn't tweeted since 2019.

Meet the Cast of Colleen Hoover's 'It Ends With Us'