Scarlett Johansson knows what everyone is talking about. And while the increasingly contentious legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively does not have anything to do directly with Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, the It Ends with Us director’s Wayfarer Studios is a major backer of the film.
Though the Avengers star never met Baldoni as he was busy working on the film now at the center of his legal drama, Johansson-who was previously married to Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds-offered fond words towards the company. “They were super supportive throughout the process,” she told Vanity Fair in an interview published May 14. “But yeah, such weird timing.”
Indeed, the news of Wayfarer backing Eleanor the Great alongside Sony Pictures Classic-which is expected to release the film later this year-comes after the organisation announced the end of its Wayfarer Foundation, the philanthropic branch of the studio. “Upon unanimous decision of the board of directors, today we will begin the process of sunsetting the Foundation,” producing partner Steve Sarowitz shared in a May 2 Instagram statement. “We will honor all of our current grant commitments as we carefully wind down operations over the next several weeks.”
He continued, “Although the Wayfarer Foundation is closing, my personal commitment to giving remains strong, and I’m dedicated to making an impact on society through the ongoing mission and work.”
The 60-year-old acknowledged the announcement may come as a surprise for some, but he emphasised that the organization would be working to ensure “all matters are concluded with care and attention.”
Sarowitz concluded by thanking the Foundation’s staff, board and donors, adding, “I am so incredibly proud of the impact this organization has made.” Baldoni had been a member of the Foundation’s board since its launch in 2016 with the mission to “advance humankind spiritually towards a future peaceful world civilisation” through supporting “spiritually rooted and justice-oriented nonprofits.”
Three years after the Foundation’s launch, the 41-year-old spoke to the work being done, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “We have too many people who are isolated and being left behind by society. But what’s been so amazing is finding that there are so many people in our cities who sincerely want to connect and give back.”
The shuttering of the philanthropic branch comes amid Baldoni and Lively’s ongoing legal battle after Lively accused the It Ends With Us director and star of sexual harassment in a lawsuit. Baldoni has since countersued the Gossip Girl alum and her husband Reynolds for defamation, among other claims. All parties have denied the allegations against them.