August 27, 2025

A sizzling legal drama is unfolding right under our noses! A New York federal judge has unsealed more than 60 emails and texts that throw light on the behind-the-scenes battle between superstar Blake Lively and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni. The fight? An intense legal dispute linked to their film It Ends With Us. What’s in these spicy documents? They reveal how Baldoni’s team hired a crisis management firm to carefully steer the talk around the film’s release and handle the fallout from Blake Lively's public comments. The goal was clear: protect the movie’s image and keep the buzz positive. But here’s the twist — the elaborate plan was deemed mostly unnecessary because the internet’s natural chatter had already stirred up excitement and criticism on its own. Despite this, the documents show tight teamwork and detailed plotting, raising eyebrows about the tactics used to control how the celebrities are seen. One standout reveal is the email from August 2024. Melissa Nathan, Baldoni’s publicist, introduced Jamey Heath of Wayfarer Studios to Jed Wallace, a social media expert and PR contractor known as a “hired gun” with secret formulas to shape artist trends. Nathan explained how Wallace and his agency, Street Relations, planned to boost social activity with a hefty budget — $30,000 a month for three months! Their task? Grow positive fan engagement and subtly combat negative voices online, all while keeping their actions “mostly untraceable.” Yep, secret online warriors at work! According to Daily Mail, Wallace’s team used anonymous accounts to chat with fans and turn the narrative favorably toward Baldoni, even engaging with Blake Lively’s fanbase to sway opinions. That’s some serious digital chess in celebrity PR! The drama isn’t just online. Jed Wallace is suing Blake Lively for defamation but denies running a smear campaign or fake accounts — just managing Baldoni’s social media. Baldoni himself has denied accusations and countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, but that legal fight was dismissed earlier this year. All eyes are now set on the court date in March 2026 when both stars are expected to testify. This saga shines a light on deep questions about celebrity PR ethics, the shadowy side of social media efforts, and how much online narratives can be shaped behind the curtains. So, as the battle heats up, will the truth come out, or will social media’s invisible puppet strings keep pulling the show?

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Tags: Blake lively, Justin baldoni, It ends with us, Social media strategy, Crisis management, Defamation lawsuit,