Blake Lively faces defamation lawsuit from crisis specialist Jed Wallace

In the United States, Blake Lively is embroiled in legal battles stemming from her portrayal in the film 'It Ends With Us.' Recently, crisis communications specialist Jed Wallace filed a defamation lawsuit against her in federal court in Texas, seeking at least $6 million in damages. The lawsuit emerged from allegations made by Lively that Wallace's firm participated in a scheme to damage her reputation amidst her accusations of sexual harassment by Justin Baldoni, a co-star and director. Previously, Lively had accused Baldoni and his production company of harassment during the film's production, along with claims of a smear campaign orchestrated against her. She named Wallace and his firm, Street Relations, in her initial legal complaint, alleging they contributed to the retaliation she faced. Wallace, however, has denied these allegations, stating that he had no involvement in any campaign intended to undermine Lively's reputation, and is alleging his own reputational harm. The situation escalated further as Lively's legal team described Wallace's lawsuit as retaliatory in nature, prompted by her decision to speak up against Baldoni. In December, following her accusations against Baldoni in an interview with The New York Times, Lively initiated a series of lawsuits that embroiled several parties, including claims of harassment and a coordinated campaign to retaliate against her. The legal complexities surrounding these allegations and counter-allegations have contributed to a public spectacle, highlighting issues of power dynamics in Hollywood, especially relating to harassment and the pushback faced by victims who come forward. Both sides maintain their innocence while accusing the other of detrimental actions in what has become a significant scandal within the film industry.