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Justin Baldoni-Blake Lively Controversy: Gossip Girl actress finds herself in legal trouble again and this time over a defamation suit filed by a crisis management firm. Jed Wallace of Street Relations has initiated the suit, alleging involvement in a public relations dispute between Lively and Justin Baldoni, the director and actor of It Ends With Us.
As per reports, Wallace argues that Lively’s actions unfairly involve him in ongoing legal disputes. He has filed a complaint in a Texas federal court, demanding at least $7 million in damages and a court order to clear his name of any wrongdoing.
The conflict began when the Gossip Girl star accused Wallace of assisting Baldoni’s team in organising a social media smear campaign against her. She alleges that he used digital platforms to create fake content that appeared to criticise her while supporting Baldoni.
This content was allegedly designed to sway public opinion and generate negative media coverage. Wallace denies these claims, stating that he was wrongly implicated in Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation complaints. He insists he had no part in the alleged smear campaign and views the lawsuit as a retaliatory move following her public accusations.
The lawsuit follows Lively’s recent move in Texas state court, where she requested an order to depose Wallace. This step could result in Wallace being named as a defendant in her ongoing case against It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer.
Attorney Michael Gottlieb, leading Lively’s legal team, described Wallace’s lawsuit as a retaliatory measure. “Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation,” they stated, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“This is not just a publicity stunt—it is transparent retaliation in response to allegations contained within a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint that Ms. Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department. While this lawsuit will be dismissed, we are pleased that Mr. Wallace has finally emerged from the shadows, and that he too will be held accountable in federal court,” the team added.
