Actress Blake Lively has secured a substantive legal victory following the dismissal of a defamation action instituted against her by Jed Wallace and his firm, Street Relations Inc., a public relations entity associated with Justin Baldoni.
The defamation suit, filed in February 2025 before a Texas court, alleged that Ms. Lively had made false and injurious statements concerning Mr. Wallace and his company. However, the court dismissed the action on jurisdictional grounds, holding that it lacked personal jurisdiction over the matter.
Ms. Lively, aged 38, had previously initiated legal proceedings in December 2024 against Mr. Baldoni in connection with the production and promotion of the motion picture It Ends With Us. In that complaint, she named Mr. Wallace and Street Relations Inc. as alleged participants in a coordinated campaign to damage her reputation.
A source close to Mr. Baldoni informed the Daily Mail that both related cases were dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, clarifying that although Ms. Lively attributed the alleged defamation primarily to Mr. Wallace, he is no longer a party to her broader claims.
A representative for Ms. Lively confirmed to TMZ that this procedural ruling effectively eliminates all retaliatory actions filed against her by Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their affiliated communications teams, thereby clearing the path for Ms. Lively to present her claims at trial in New York, scheduled for March 2026.
In a statement to People on November 5, Ms. Lively’s spokesperson emphasized that the Texas court’s decision pertained solely to jurisdictional issues concerning Mr. Wallace, noting that the ruling does not affect her principal claims against Mr. Baldoni and other defendants, including Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, Abel, Wayfarer, and The Agency Group. The spokesperson further stated that Ms. Lively is assessing her legal options regarding the appropriate venue in which to refile her claims against Mr. Wallace.
The court determined that Ms. Lively’s counsel had improperly filed the defamation case in New York, given that Mr. Wallace maintains residency and principal business operations in Austin, Texas. Consequently, the action was dismissed for want of personal jurisdiction, as the forum was deemed improper.
Ms. Lively, who is married to actor Ryan Reynolds, has alleged in her primary complaint that Mr. Baldoni engaged in sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress during the production of It Ends With Us. Mr. Baldoni has publicly denied all allegations.
The film, adapted from Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, achieved substantial commercial success—grossing approximately $148 million domestically and $350 million globally—but its reception has since been overshadowed by the legal controversies involving its lead actors.#newsafro_
