Judge dismisses key player in Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni

Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni has hit a major setback involving a key player she alleged had been hired by her co-star to destroy her reputation.

Blake Lively’s claims against social media PR specialist Jed Wallace — whom she accused of assisting Justin Baldoni’s PR team in an alleged smear campaign — have been dismissed.

Judge Lewis Liman granted Wallace’s request to remove himself and his company, Street Relations, Inc., from the actors’ civil rights lawsuit on Thursday.

Liman cited lack of jurisdiction for the reason, given that Wallace is based in Texas and not New York — where Lively filed the case — in court documents obtained by Page Six.

“The Wallace Defendant’s motion to dismiss must be granted because the Court lacks personal jurisdiction over them,” the court documents said.

Actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni. Picture: Charly Triballeau / AFP

Actor Blake Lively. Picture: Angela Weiss / AFP

“The Wallace Defendants are located in Texas, and Lively has not alleged that they are responsible for any act that would subject them to jurisdiction in New York. … The few alleged actions targeting New York were taken by others, and there are no allegations suggesting the Wallace Defendants were aware of them.

“Therefore, the Wallace Defendants cannot be forced to defend this lawsuit in New York.”

If Lively wants to continue to pursue her claims against Wallace, she has to amend her complaint or do so in another forum.

Wallace’s lawyer, Chip Babcock of Jackson Walker, LLP, said in a statement to Page Six, “Mr Wallace and Street Relations very much appreciate the judge’s thoughtful and thorough opinion.”

Baldoni and Lively in a scene from It Ends With Us. Picture: Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures

Lively’s spokesman didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Lively has alleged that Wallace “weaponised a digital army” to “create, seed, and promote” disparaging content about her after being hired by Baldoni’s PR team, which Wallace denied.

In February, Wallace filed his own lawsuit against her. He claimed that Lively defamed him and his company when she filed her December 2024 complaint against Baldoni — in which she accused the “Jane the Virgin” alum of sexual harassment and attempting to destroy her reputation as retaliation — with the California Civil Rights Department.

Blake Lively with husband and actor Ryan Reynolds in SoHo, New York City, in May. Picture: Aeon/GC Images

Lively’s legal team slammed the lawsuit in a statement to Page Six at the time.

“Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation,” the statement read.

“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.”

This story was originally published in The New York Post