Justin Baldoni’s $90,000 PR Hire Sparks Controversy Amid Blake Lively Feud

New York, USA – New court documents have revealed explosive claims regarding the ongoing feud between actor Justin Baldoni and co-star Blake Lively. Baldoni allegedly hired social media consultant Jed Wallace for $90,000 to manage the fallout from their dispute over the film It Ends With Us, according to documents unsealed on August 24, 2025.

Baldoni’s production company, Wayfarer Studios, entered into a contract with Wallace’s firm, Street Relations, for a three-month period costing $30,000 per month, the filings show. Emails between Baldoni’s publicist, Melissa Nathan, and Jamey Heath, a co-founder of Wayfarer, introduced Wallace as an expert in handling digital narratives.

“Jed and team have worked on some of the most monumental projects globally, and I’m extremely happy to make this intro between you both,” Nathan wrote in an email.

Documents also indicate that Nathan suggested a separate engagement plan costing $25,000 per month to create social media engagement designed to counter negative perceptions of Baldoni, though she stressed this would be ‘untraceable.’

A source familiar with the situation said this meant Wallace’s team could use anonymous accounts to amplify positive messages about Baldoni while arguing with Lively’s supporters online. However, the source added that much of the negativity toward Lively was organic.

Lively’s legal team is adamant that these actions constituted a smear campaign against her. A spokesperson claimed, ‘There is an overwhelming amount of evidence documenting the smear campaign instigated by Justin Baldoni, Melissa Nathan, Jed Wallace, and the rest of the Wayfarer Parties.’

In a surprising twist, Wallace has denied all allegations of misconduct, asserting that he was only engaged to monitor social media activity. His attorney, Chip Babcock, maintained that Wallace has never met Lively, countering her claims of a smear campaign.

Mocking the promotional strategies used for the film, Nathan’s employee Katie Case remarked in a group chat, “Someone has to tell them to grow up – they promoted a movie about DOMESTIC VIOLENCE as if it was a silly rom-com.” The internal communications reveal significant tension within the Baldoni camp as the actors navigate their complex relationship.

As the lawsuit progresses, Lively’s team insists they possess concrete evidence of a coordinated effort to damage her reputation, while Baldoni’s representatives argue that the backlash against Lively is resulting from genuine public sentiment.

The ongoing legal drama is expected to see both parties testify, with the next court appearance scheduled for March 2026.