Key takeaways from the ongoing legal drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni:

• Lively is embroiled in a defamation lawsuit with crisis PR specialist Jed Wallace, who claims she falsely implicated him in a smear campaign.
• The messy legal dispute stems from allegations of sexual harassment and retaliatory tactics during the filming of “It Ends With Us.”
• Baldoni's legal team has hinted at the possibility of calling in Taylor Swift to testify, as she is a close friend of Lively's.

Blake Lively, the renowned actress, is currently engaged in a bitter and complex legal feud with her co-star and director Justin Baldoni, stemming from their collaboration on the film It Ends With Us. This heated dispute has escalated into multiple lawsuits, with a recent focus on allegations that Lively orchestrated a smear campaign against Baldoni and his team. In this latest development, Newsweek reports that Lively has been sued by Jed Wallace, the head of crisis PR firm Street Relations, for defamation. Wallace claims that Lively has erroneously implicated him in a smear campaign that he insists he had no part in, alleging that the accusations have caused him “millions of dollars” in reputational damage.

The lawsuit was filed in Texas, wherein Wallace argues that Lively's statements during her legal battles have severely affected his professional standing. Lively's legal team maintains that this suit functions as a tactic to intimidate her for speaking out against alleged sexual harassment, a sentiment echoed in previous statements by Lively’s representatives, who described Wallace's claims as a "retaliatory" maneuver to divert attention from the serious accusations against Baldoni. The complicated nature of the legal conflict is underscored by the myriad of lawsuits; for instance, Baldoni previously filed a substantial lawsuit against Lively, extricating claims of defamation and civil extortion, further complicating the narrative surrounding It Ends With Us, as noted in Forbes.

In an intriguing twist, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, mentioned the potential of deposing Taylor Swift, a close friend of Lively, during the proceedings. This could entail additional turns as their legal battles unfold and testimony from members of their inner circles come to light. Baldoni's team claims that Swift was present at key discussions during the filming of It Ends With Us, a film that is reportedly contentious beyond its romantic plot, reflecting the internal conflict between coworkers now play out in public, as detailed by CBS News.

Meanwhile, the public discourse has further exploded with the release of incriminating text message exchanges tied to these allegations. These messages have allegedly depicted Baldoni's public relations attempts, including maneuvers to influence social media sentiments against Lively, which have fueled accusations of manipulation and smear campaigns against both parties, with media outlets like Associated Press covering these developments extensively.

As this legal saga progresses, both Lively and Baldoni face increasing scrutiny not just over their professional reputations but over the implications of their actions during and following the making of It Ends With Us. With a trial date set, the outcome of these allegations and the depth of this celebrity conflict remain to be seen.

For deeper insights on this ongoing saga, visit the detailed coverage from Business Insider and Forbes.