A Texas crisis communications specialist, Jed Wallace, has filed a $7 million defamation lawsuit against actor Blake Lively. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday (February 4) in federal court in Texas, claims Lively wrongly implicated Wallace in her ongoing legal battle with co-star and director Justin Baldoni over their film, 'It Ends With Us.' Wallace asserts that neither he nor his company, Street Relations, were involved in any campaign to damage Lively's reputation, as she alleged in a court filing.
Lively's lawsuit against Baldoni, his production company, and publicists accuses them of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Wallace's name appeared in court documents and a New York Times article when the legal issues began in December. Lively's legal team argues that Wallace's lawsuit is a retaliatory move in response to her sexual harassment and retaliation complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department. They maintain that Wallace will be held accountable in federal court, despite his lawsuit being dismissed.
Wallace's lawsuit seeks to clear his name and demands a court ruling affirming that he did not engage in harassment or retaliation against Lively. The lawsuit also highlights Lively's previous claims that Wallace manipulated social media content to appear authentic, targeting her while supporting Baldoni. Wallace's legal team insists there is no factual basis for Lively's allegations against him.
The legal disputes surrounding 'It Ends With Us,' an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel, have been ongoing since the film's release in August, which was followed by box office success and subsequent turmoil. Baldoni has also filed a lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, seeking $400 million in damages for defamation and extortion.