Justin Baldoni’s Baha’i faith explored as Wayfarer employee claims the actor was “evangelizing” at the workplace

Justin Baldoni’s employees at his Wayfarer Studios seem displeased by his way of conduct. The actor cum director has been a follower of the Baha’i faith, but his beliefs seem to have intervened in the working scenario at Wayfarer, according to the employees.

As per a report by the Los Angeles Times, several employees were unhappy with the new “office culture.” A former employee told the newspaper company:

“There was an evangelizing aspect to the way Justin spoke about the faith that, in my opinion, felt professionally inappropriate.”

The Baha'i faith, which originated in 19th-century Iran, has a global following estimated at 5 to 8 million, with over 170,000 in the United States. It prioritizes equality, social justice, and peace and aims to unite humanity.

Justin Baldoni grew up in a working-class town. As per the newspaper company, he struggled to balance his family's Baha'i beliefs. After going through a personal crisis, he found support through the Baha'i community in Los Angeles, which helped him find direction again.

He then pursued his acting career. One of his early projects, a web series about people with terminal illnesses, became popular on Rainn Wilson's platform and later aired on TV.

A colleague described Justin Baldoni as deeply committed to his faith, saying that he believes work should be a service to others. His faith also led him to connect with Steve Sarowitz, a wealthy Baha'i convert. Justin Baldoni advised on a documentary about the Baha'i faith that Sarowitz produced.

Another ex-employee at the Wayfarer told the Los Angeles Times:

"Bahai values were a driving force behind everything they did. It came up routinely. As a newer Bahai member, Steve wanted to talk about it all the time.”

---

A Wayfarer employee commented on the work culture at Justin Baldoni's workplace

One of Baldoni's employees called out the work culture at Wayfarer in the Los Angeles Times piece. They mentioned the constant positivity that almost became pathological. According to the employee,

"It was constant positivity all the time, I would say toxic positivity. I’m always a little dubious of people who advertise themselves as disruptors of the status quo or quote-unquote ‘good people.’"

A representative for Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer addressed the criticism, stating that no complaints about the workplace culture or the founders' beliefs had been reported. They emphasized that Wayfarer prioritizes joy and positivity as key elements of a productive work environment.

Moreover, they clarified that although the company’s founders follow the Baha'i faith, most of its senior leadership and staff do not, and there are no religious requirements within the workplace.

According to them, Wayfarer embraces diverse spiritual perspectives, encouraging employees to freely practice their personal beliefs with full support from leadership.

After leadership changes at the studio, Justin Baldoni’s close friend and fellow Baha'i, Jamey Heath, took over as president in 2021. Before stepping into the role, Heath had a background in songwriting and producing, working with artists like Chaka Khan and Solange, but had limited experience in the film industry, similar to Sarowitz.