The ongoing conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, her co-star, and director of the film It Ends With Us, is about to worsen. On Tuesday, Jed Wallace, a relatively unknown Texas crisis consultant, filed a defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively. Specifically, he claims he suffered significant reputational and emotional damage due to Lively’s actions, amounting to millions of dollars. So, how will Wallace’s lawsuit affect the actress and her legal troubles going forward?
Jed Wallace Seeks Millions to Clear Name
Lively and Baldoni have been embroiled in a public dispute for nearly two months, which started in late December. Lively would initiate a lawsuit against Baldoni and his team for orchestrating a coordinated smear campaign against her. Moreover, she stated that she’d been targeted by Wallace, who allegedly had been enlisted to mobilize a “digital army” to attack the actress online.
However, Baldoni, his publicists, and Wallace have denied these allegations, with Baldon countersuing Lively in January for defamation and extortion, which her legal team dismissed as a “desperate” tactic. As the escalating legal battle unfolds, tensions behind the scenes of the film’s production continue to draw attention. Ultimately, Wallace seeks a minimum of $7 million in damages along with a court order declaring that he didn’t participate in harassment or retaliation against the actress. By pursuing this legal action, he aims to clear his name and address the reputational harm he claims to have suffered.
Blake Lively Stands Against Digital Army
This development follows Lively’s decision to withdraw a petition filed in Texas state court last month. The actress sought a court order to depose Wallace in the petition. Not only that, but this move could signal her intention to add him as a defendant against Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer, in her ongoing lawsuit.
Furthermore, the filing would see Lively accuse Wallace of mobilizing a digital army to create and promote content on social media platforms and internet forums designed to appear authentic. Moreover, Baldoni’s public relations team was also accused of orchestrating this campaign to undermine Lively by feeding reporters with fabricated content. Aiming to make the content go viral, it influenced public opinion and triggered an organic backlash against the actress.
Court Battle
Led by Michael Gottlieb, Lively’s legal team responded to the latest lawsuit by highlighting the pattern of high-stakes legal actions aimed to silence her. According to the legal team, the lawsuit is another attempt to stop her from speaking out against sexual harassment. Characterized as a clear act of retaliation, the lawsuit is directly linked to Lively’s complaint submitted to the California Civil Rights Department. Not only are they confident the lawsuit will be dismissed, but they also expressed satisfaction that Wallace has come forward. As a result, he will have to face accountability in federal court, too.
Wallace revealed a 10-page lawsuit criticizing Lively for naming him in her petition and California Civil Rights Department complaint. In both, he is accused of illegal harassment and retaliation without providing evidence. In the complaint, his lawyer, Charles Babcock, stated that Lively admitted she lacked factual support for her allegations. Further clarifying, he said that neither Wallace nor his company, Street, had any involvement in harassment, retaliation, or failure to investigate. Additionally, he denied that Wallace and Lively had any contact with each other, refuting claims of a breach.
Tactics Lead to PR War
According to Lively’s petition, Wallace described himself as a “hired gun” and claimed to possess a “proprietary formula for defining artists and trends.” Reportedly, this petition was retained by Baldoni and his Wayfarer company. Alongside Wallace, veteran crisis PR executive Melissa Nathan from the Agency Group, who’s named in Lively’s lawsuit, was also enlisted.
Referenced in the filing, a text message from Nathan to another PR representative for Baldoni, Jennifer Abel, suggested involving Wallace in a Signal group chat. This text further implicates him in the alleged smear campaign orchestrated by Baldoni. In Lively’s filing, she detailed Wallace’s efforts to attack her and defend Baldoni on online forums, particularly Reddit. While these claims highlight the tactics allegedly used to undermine her reputation, it also amplifies the ongoing legal and public relations battle.
Hollywood Divided Over Legal Disputes
Since Blake Lively filed her complaint, several celebrities have spoken up to support either her or Justin Baldoni. Specifically, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn, along with It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, and even Amber Heard, condemned the alleged smear campaign against her. Meanwhile, comedian Amy Schumer and Candace Owens, a popular political influence, defended Baldoni. Although this ongoing court battle has split Hollywood into Lively or Baldoni supporters, how Jed Wallace will affect these disputes moving forward remains to be seen.
