Blake Lively has been sued by a crisis management firm, Street Relations, which alleges that she defamed them in connection with the controversial public relations battle involving her and Justin Baldoni, the director and star of It Ends With Us. The lawsuit was filed by Jed Wallace in Texas federal court on Tuesday, claiming that Lively’s actions have caused significant harm to his reputation and business, as he was allegedly drawn into the tangled web of lawsuits between Lively and Baldoni, one of which suggests he created misleading social media content that appeared to attack Lively while defending Baldoni.
Wallace is seeking at least $7 million in damages and a court order affirming that he did not engage in any form of harassment or retaliation against the actress. The tensions escalated exponentially following Lively’s own legal actions earlier in the month, where she filed a petition in Texas state court aimed at deposing Wallace, a move some regard as an indication that she might consider adding him as a defendant in her ongoing legal dispute against Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer.
In her state court filing, Lively accused Wallace of employing a strategy that weaponized social media, creating and promoting content that seemed authentic on various platforms to tarnish her image. According to Lively’s claims, Baldoni’s public relations team allegedly orchestrated a campaign designed to fabricate a narrative that would influence public opinion against her, leading to an “organic pile-on,” as described in her legal petition.
The attorney representing Lively, Michael Gottlieb, expressed strong disapproval of Wallace’s lawsuit, declaring, “Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation.” He emphasized that this lawsuit was not merely a matter of public relations but rather a clear act of retaliation in light of the allegations Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department regarding sexual harassment and retaliation. Gottlieb expressed confidence that the lawsuit would be dismissed but also noted the importance of holding Wallace accountable in federal court.
In his suit, Wallace criticizes Lively for naming him in the petition and the complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department, asserting that her accusations lack any grounding in fact and have sparked an unjust feud. “As Lively later admitted she knew of no facts to support the allegations,” reads a part of Wallace’s complaint drafted by attorney Charles Babcock, further asserting that neither he nor Street had any involvement in the alleged harassment or retaliation.
Wallace, who referred to himself as a “hired gun,” was apparently brought on by Baldoni and his company. He claimed to have a proprietary formula for assessing artists and trends. Initial communications reveal a text from Melissa Nathan, another public relations executive implicated in the ongoing disputes, suggesting a collaborative effort to manage the fallout, potentially including Wallace in the communications aimed at organizing a smear campaign against Lively.
Lively’s accusations point to specific efforts by Wallace to manipulate online conversations, particularly on platforms like Reddit, where content attacking her and supporting Baldoni was allegedly seeded and pushed. As Wallace’s legal representative has stated, “Lively made false statements to the press through her private administrative filing, claiming Mr. Wallace and Street Relations had sexually harassed her and retaliated against her.” Wallace’s legal team insists that he has never met or spoken to Lively, underscoring the lack of any factual basis for her claims.
The events surrounding this lawsuit reflect a significant shift in the public image and private realities of those involved. With each legal maneuver, the stakes continue to rise, and the impact of these high-profile claims may well reshape the careers and personal lives of the actors involved. As the legal proceedings unfold, there remains a strong possibility that both public and media scrutiny will only intensify, creating an even more challenging environment for Lively and her team as they navigate these thorny accusations.
