Blake Lively's brother-in-law apologizes for 'unkind' comments after Justin Baldoni post

Blake Lively's brother-in-law is offering a mea culpa after slamming the actress's "It Ends with Us" co-star Justin Baldoni on social media last month.

In an X post Tuesday, Bart Johnson — who is married to Lively's half-sister Robyn Lively — did not reference his criticism of Baldoni but wrote, "Anytime I've said anything unkind about someone I’ve regretted it."

"Regardless if it's true or not, if it's my opinion, even if I'm trying to speak truth or stand up for someone, it's never good," Johnson continued. "Even in times where it might 'feel' justified and doing the right thing, it makes no difference. There's a better way."

He added: "It's below the standard I have for myself and I regret it. I do sincerely apologize to anyone I've hurt or let down by saying something that sounds mean."

In a since-deleted post on X, published Dec. 23, Johnson called Baldoni a "fraud" with a "man bun." The criticism came just days after Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni alleging sexual harassment during their time working on the Colleen Hoover adaptation.

"He's a fraud. He puts on the 'costume' of a hero, man bun and all," Johnson wrote at the time. "Used all of the trendy catchphrases & buzz words for his podcasts. None of it's genuine. It's all theater. And everyone fell for it. For years."

Lively and Baldoni have since taken their allegations of misconduct to court, with both actors filing lawsuits on New Year's Eve. In addition to Baldoni's complaint against The New York Times for its reporting on Lively's allegations, the actor filed a lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, on Jan. 16 alleging defamation and extortion.

"If you follow me you know you'll be hard pressed to find more than 1 time I’ve criticized anyone on social. It’s not my jam," Johnson concluded. "We all have flaws and I'm definitely a work in progress and doing my best to grow and be better."

Johnson's Tuesday apology comes a day after U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman filed an order setting the schedule for Lively and Baldoni's court cases. Liman said he plans to consolidate the sides' respective lawsuits, and the trial is scheduled for March 9, 2026.

Contributing: Jay Stahl and Pamela Avila, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bart Johnson apologizes for comments after Justin Baldoni criticism