Blake Lively Faces Defamation Suit from Crisis Firm amid PR Dispute

Jed Wallace sues Blake Lively for defamation over alleged smear campaign involvement.

Blake Lively is in legal trouble once more, this time due to a complaint of offense brought by a crisis management company.  Jed Wallace of Street Relations filed the case, claiming he was involved in the public relations dispute between lively and Justin Baldoni, the director-actor of It Ends with Us.

Wallace has filed a complaint in Texas federal court, claiming Lively’s actions are unfairly entangling him in continuing legal disputes. He is seeking at least $7 million and a court ruling that would clear him of any accountability.

The dispute started when the Gossip Girl actor claimed that Wallace had assisted Baldoni's staff in planning a social media smear campaign against her. She claims that he created false content on digital networks that appeared to criticize her while defending Baldoni.

Allegedly, this content was utilized to sway public opinion and generate unfavorable press coverage. Wallace responds that he was wrongfully accused of being involved in Lively's sexual harassment and retaliation complaints and refutes these claims. He contends that the lawsuit is a retaliatory reaction to her public charges and that he was not involved in the alleged smear campaign.

The complaint comes after Lively filed a request for a statement order against Wallace in Texas state court.  He might be named as a defendant in her current lawsuit against It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni and his business, Wayfarer, as a result of this action.

This is blatant retaliation in response to claims made in a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit that Ms. Lively submitted to the California Civil Rights Department; it is not merely a publicity stunt. We are happy that Mr. Wallace has finally come out of the shadows and that he will also be held accountable in federal court, even though this complaint will be dismissed," they continued.