Before “It Ends With Us,” Justin Baldoni was in another love triangle in this comedy series

The big picture

• Justin Baldoni is the protagonist and director
  It ends with us
  showcasing his acting talents in a toxic love triangle.
• Baldoni’s role as Rafael Solano in
  Joan the Virgin
  highlights his evolution from playboy to loving companion.
• Joan the Virgin
  pays a lovely tribute to telenovelas, highlighting Baldoni’s versatility and his harmony with Gina Rodriguez.

Justin Baldoni is having a summer in the spotlight. Not only is he the director of the recently released drama It ends with usbut also plays one of the main love interests, Ryle, for Lively BlakeLily. The film is based on the novel of the same name and also features Brandon Sklenar as a former flame who reappears and turns Lily and Ryle’s entire relationship upside down. It It ends with us is becoming as famous for its off-screen drama as Baldoni and Lively are rumored to be feuding. On-screen, the turbulent love triangle between Baldoni, Lively, and Sklenar’s characters is a toxic mirage of love and jealousy.

Baldoni is no stranger to languor or complicated pasts, having mastered disconsolate glances and declarations of love on Joan the VirginThe CW series ran for five insane seasons, with soap opera-levels of drama, while also being one of the funniest shows on television. Gina Rodriguez plays the main character, Jane Villanueva, alongside Baldoni and Brett Dier In a messy and passionate love triangleThe series was also partly responsible for catapulting Baldoni to fame and is still worth watching, as the actor plays a sweet, charming playboy who transforms from a notorious womanizer to a supportive, monogamous man.

What is “Jane the Virgin” about?

As the title suggests, Rodriguez plays virgin Jane Villanueva, 23, who lives with her single mother Xiomara (Andrea Navetta) and grandmother Alba (Call Ivonee) and works at a luxury Miami hotel while aspiring to be both a teacher and a romance novelist. Jane’s relationship with Xiomara is the heart of the show and one of the most endearing mother-daughter relationships on television. Dier plays Jane’s police detective boyfriend Michael, and as he gets involved in various espionage schemes at the hotel, so does Jane. To make things even crazier, when Jane goes to what should be a routine doctor’s appointment, her doctor accidentally artificially inseminates herand gets pregnant.

Baldoni plays Rafael Solano, the owner of the hotel where Jane works and now the unknowing future father of her child. With Rafael’s manipulative and controlling wife, Petra (Yael Grobglas) also still in play, both families must navigate the strange circumstances, meeting every day at work. To shake things up even more, Jane’s estranged father and Spanish telenovela star, Rogelio de la Vega (James Camil), shows up in Miami after not knowing Jane his entire life. As Jane deals with her unexpected pregnancy, her relationship with Michael becomes strained as she and Rafael begin to fall for each other amidst the chaos of murder plots and crimes taking place at the hotel.

Justin Baldoni Plays Sweet Love Interest in ‘Jane the Virgin’

Rafael Solano quickly won the hearts of audiences everywhere when Joan the Virgin presented for the first time. Baldoni plays the character with a sweet sensitivity; despite Rafael being labeled as an unreliable playboy early in the series, the actor delivers a tuneful performance as a loving and supportive man. Rafael and Jane are like night and day in terms of their respective privileges, as Rafael has gotten everything he’s ever wanted his entire life, while Jane has had to work for everything in her life. Their meet-cute, which is relived through flashbacks, is the perfect setup as the two spend one magical day together before not seeing each other again for years. Both are bright-eyed young men, flirting at the yacht club restaurant where Jane works, and the chemistry between Rodriguez and Baldoni is palpable.

It’s a timeless romantic concept: Jane is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, who works as a staffer, while Rafael is the rich kid who plays tennis at the club. Their opposites-attract relationship is reminiscent of classic romantic comedy partnerships, as they go from from strangers to friends, to enemies, to lovers, to friends again. Dier is also excellent as Michael, completing the love triangle as an equally lovable and goofy guy who is always there for Jane, making it even harder for viewers to choose who to root for.

As the series continued, Baldoni also made his voice heard behind the scenes, becoming an advocate for speaking out about issues of toxic masculinity in today’s culture. Often, Baldoni chose to play Rafael as an open wound, crying unashamedly as he expressed his feelings. It was a new, a revolutionary type of protagonist for a romantic comedy. Baldoni later gave a viral TedTalk that garnered millions of views, titled “Why I Stopped Trying to Be ‘Man Enough,'” in which he pushed back against notions of what men should be in today’s society. His ability to be open, honest, and vulnerable off-screen spilled over into his character and was a turning point for both of them. Joan the Virgin and love interests on television.

“Jane the Virgin” Pays Charming Homage to Telenovelas

Because Jane is an inspired writer who often fantasizes about her life, Baldoni can also show off some ridiculous and funny costumes in his imagined romantic plots. The audience is then blessed with many shots of Baldoni, shirtless, with six-pack abs, shimmering in the sun in many of Jane’s fantasies. One of these fantasies has become one of the most iconic scenes of the series, when Jane finally stops fighting her feelings for Rafael and embraces her imagination. Their costumes and flair for drama are something to behold as Jane imagines them as lovers from the 1800s. Rafael transforms into a rugged sailor, wearing a ridiculous long-haired wig on the beach with an unbuttoned shirt to show off his physique while Jane runs toward him in an equally ridiculous attire. Baldoni and Rodriguez turn the acting up to 11, embracing the soap opera drama that the series loves to pay homage to. The bloopers for the scene are even funnier, as neither actor manages to keep a straight face.

Joan the Virgin was a groundbreaking show at the time of its release. Nothing like it had ever been done before; it was a bilingual American primetime television show, influenced by telenovelas, and it featured a particularly bold concept of exploring unplanned pregnancy and motherhood through Jane’s main storyline. But what really made the show special was its depiction of the three central female leads and their unbreakable family bond. That said, outside of Jane’s relationship with her family, the longest and most substantial was with Rafael. Rodriguez and Baldoni created something very special with their on-screen relationship, painting a picture of intimacy and unconditional love amidst wild storylines of all caliber. It is still Baldoni’s best and most important role until today.

Joan the Virgin is currently available for streaming on Netflix in the United States

WATCH ON NETFLIX