The crisis PR firm Blake Lively alluded to in her California Civil Rights Department complaint — in which she first accused Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign — has sued the “It Ends With Us” actress amid the never-ending legal feuds surrounding the domestic violence film.
Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc. has sued the “Gossip Girl” alum, 37, for defamation, TMZ reported Wednesday.
Wallace claims to have lost millions of dollars worth of business due to Lively’s CRD filed in California just before Christmas — in which Lively accused him of having contributed to a retaliatory smear campaign after accusing director and co-star Baldoni.
The New York Times article titled “We Can Bury Anyone” did name “self-described ‘hired gun’” Wallace as well as his firm. Baldoni on Dec. 31 sued the outlet for $250 million over what his lawyer Bryan Freedman has referred to as a “well calculated hit-piece.”
Wallace said Lively added salt to the wound when she sought to have him deposed after identifying Wallace as a subcontractor to Melissa Nathan’s The Agency Group PR, which the actress said launched the “unlawful retaliatory social combat campaign” against her.
“Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation,” her legal team told several media outlets, adding that Wallace’s suit was “not just a publicity stunt” but “transparent retaliation” for Lively’s CRD complaint.
“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.”
Also on Dec. 31, Lively sued Baldoni, who hit back last month with a $400 million lawsuit accusing the actress, her husband Ryan Reynolds and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and civil extortion over the allegations. The trio is seeking to dismiss Baldoni’s filing, which was amended over the weekend with additional alleged evidence.
On Monday in Manhattan Federal Court, Judge Lewis Liman did not employ a gag order on either legal team but cautioned both sides to obey professional ethics rules about out-of-court statements.
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