The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has added a new chapter involving Taylor Swift, one of Lively’s best friends.
The scandal erupted in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni, alleging s*xual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us, where he was both her co-star and director.
She also accused Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign against her after she voiced complaints about his alleged inappropriate behavior on set, which included entering her trailer while she was unclothed.
Highlights
- Blake Lively sued Justin Baldoni for harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign on the set of 'It Ends With Us.'
- Newly released texts show Lively and Taylor Swift mocking the 41-year-old director.
- In his since-dismissed countersuit, Baldoni claimed that Lively used Swift’s mega-celebrity status to hijack their film.
Image credits: Gotham/GC Images
Baldoni then filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively for defamation. He claimed it was Lively who used false allegations to both "ruin" his reputation in Hollywood and “hijack” the film. This plan, he claimed, involved using some of her A-list celebrity friends.
In his complaint filed in January 2025, the director alleged that Lively used Swift’s influence to “pressure” him into accepting the actress’ rewritten version of the script.
Newly released court documents obtained by Page Six now show text message exchanges between Lively and Swift in which they insult the filmmaker.
Image credits: Netflix
In the texts, the Gossip Girl actress referred to Baldoni as “this doofus director of my movie” and described him as “a clown” who “thinks he’s a writer now.”
Lively allegedly asked Swift to endorse her revision of the It Ends With Us script without even reading it in 2023, and the pop star was supportive, Baldoni’s lawyers claim in the documents.
The Grammy-winning artist reportedly replied to her friend, “I’ll do anything for you!!”
Lively sued Baldoni in 2024, accusing him of inappropriate behavior on set and a retaliatory media smear campaign
Image credits: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Swift endorsed Lively’s rewritten scenes during a meeting with Baldoni at the actress’ apartment.
After the meeting, Lively thanked Swift for her support, texting her, “You were so epically heroic today. I recapped every moment to [husband Ryan Reynolds]. I kept remembering stuff. You making s**t up about me and lenses. And referring to yourself as my doll.
“This clown falling for all of it. But also resisting it. You are the worlds absolute greatest friend ever.”
Image credits: Netflix
According to the documents, in December 2024, Swift texted Lively shortly before she came forward with her accusations against Baldoni to The New York Times.
“I think this b*tch knows something is coming because he’s gotten out his tiny violin,” the singer allegedly wrote.
Lively denied that she and Swift discussed her accusations against Baldoni before they were made public, or that she asked her friend to endorse her script without reading it.
Image credits: taylorswift
“I sent Taylor the script on her way to my apartment because Justin was still there, and I asked her to read them,” the actress stated in the court documents.
“I told her she didn’t have to, I didn’t want her to feel pressured to do that, but I hoped that she would.”
She also referred to alleged texts in which she told Baldoni that he would also “benefit” from her relationship with Ryan Reynolds and Swift.
Image credits: Rob Carr/Getty Images
Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit was dismissed in June by US District Judge Lewis J. Liman.
The alleged texts were unsealed on Tuesday (January 20) ahead of a summary judgment hearing in Lively’s ongoing lawsuit against her former director, which is scheduled for January 22, People reported.
The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18. Swift is listed as a potential witness on a list submitted by Lively’s legal team.
Image credits: MEGA/GC Images
The newly released documents also include Swift suggesting that Baldoni was not “strategic” in using her song My Tears Ricochet in the It Ends With Us trailer.
Swift wrote, “If Justin was strategic he would be like no Taylor swift in the trailer because that gives you more power over the film, that’s your ally not his.”
Lively responded, “You are so right…He should’ve run from your music…How stupid. This was his only shot at having the appearance of an upper hand.”
Baldoni’s lawyers also allege the actress insulted him in front of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, telling them she “rewrote the script” and “directed every actor” and calling the filmmaker a “chaotic clown.”
Image credits: Netflix
In his complaint, Baldoni claimed that after he met with Lively and Swift at Lively’s apartment to discuss her rewrites, the actress referred to Swift as one of her protective “dragons” in an attempt to intimidate him.
“If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” Lively wrote, according to Baldoni’s complaint.
“For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
Image credits: blakelively
The Fate of Ophelia hitmaker tried to distance herself from the scandal through a statement issued by a representative.
"Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film,” the statement read.
She reportedly didn’t see It Ends With Us until “weeks after its public release” and, when the case made headlines, she was traveling the world “headlining the biggest tour in history.”
“The connection Taylor had to this film was permitting the use of one song, ‘My Tears Ricochet,’” the representative added, accusing Baldoni’s legal team of using Swift “to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
Swift and Lively have been close friends for a decade, with the pop star being the godmother to the actress’ three daughters: James, Inez, and Betty. However, they haven’t been seen together since the legal battle began.
