In a recent ruling, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Blake Lively’s claims against social media influencer Jed Wallace. Lively had alleged that Wallace was part of a coordinated online effort to smear her reputation, connected to her ongoing legal battle against director and co-actor Justin Baldoni. These accusations reportedly stemmed from tensions following the release of their film It Ends With Us.
After the film hit theaters, Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, creating a toxic work environment, and orchestrating a “smear campaign” to damage her public image. She filed lawsuits against Baldoni, PR executive Jennifer Abel, crisis management expert Melissa Nathan, producer Jamey Heath, and others. As part of these claims, Lively asserted that Baldoni had allegedly hired Wallace to lead a digital campaign against her.
Judge Liman found no legal connection between Wallace, who resides in Texas, and Lively’s claims in New York, ruling that the court could not assert jurisdiction over him. Lively’s attorneys were given a chance to establish Wallace’s ties to New York but were unable to do so. As a result, all claims against Wallace in New York have been dismissed.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s attorney, commented, “We are grateful for the court’s order today, making clear that the claims against Mr. Wallace never belonged in this court. Allegations that he participated in any smear campaign are unsupported, and all claims against him have been dismissed by this court. The other defendants look forward to their day in court when they will show there is no merit to Ms. Lively’s claims against them.”
The final trial between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is scheduled for March 2026. Whether Lively will attempt to pursue her claims against Wallace in Texas remains unclear. For now, Wallace is no longer part of the New York proceedings, allowing the case to focus on the primary defendants.
