A judge has ruled that private messages between actress Blake Lively and global superstar Taylor Swift are relevant to the ongoing legal dispute between Lively and her “It Ends With Us” co-star, Justin Baldoni. This decision marks a setback for Lively’s efforts to keep her correspondence with Swift out of the public eye and away from Baldoni’s legal team.
Judge Lewis J. Liman denied Lively’s request for a protective order, which sought to shield the texts and emails from discovery. The judge’s reasoning centered on the fact that Lively herself had identified Swift as someone likely to have knowledge regarding complaints or discussions about the working environment on the set of “It Ends With Us.”
The Core Legal Battle
The film “It Ends With Us,” based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel about a woman escaping an abusive relationship, stars Lively as Lily Bloom and Baldoni as Ryle Kincaid (he also directed the film through his company Wayfarer Studios). The legal conflict erupted following the film’s production, with Lively filing a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios.
This ruling on the Swift-Lively texts comes amid a complex legal back-and-forth. Notably, Justin Baldoni had previously filed a substantial $400 million countersuit against Lively, alleging defamation and extortion. However, that countersuit was recently dismissed by a federal judge, a development Lively’s legal team hailed as a significant victory for her side. The dispute has also reportedly involved allegations of an online smear campaign directed at Lively.
Why the Texts Matter
Judge Liman stated that the requests for messages between Lively and Swift concerning the film and the lawsuit are “reasonably tailored” to potentially prove or disprove Lively’s claims. Despite arguments from Lively’s lead attorney, Esra A. Hudson, that Swift was “not central” to the case and irrelevant, the judge found the information neither irrelevant nor unduly burdensome to produce.
Lively’s legal team had contended that Baldoni’s side was attempting to involve Swift primarily for media attention and to leverage her immense popularity and fanbase for their public relations strategy. There were even references to a reported “Scenario Planning” document from Baldoni’s PR team that allegedly mentioned Swift and a strategy to influence the “TS fanbase.”
Adding another layer to the legal drama, Justin Baldoni is represented by high-profile litigator Bryan Freedman, known for his aggressive tactics. Interestingly, reports indicate Freedman had previously sued Baldoni himself in an unrelated case from 2021 regarding Baldoni’s docuseries “My Last Days.”
The Taylor Swift Connection
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively are well-known close friends, with Swift being the godmother to one of Lively’s children. Swift also contributed her song “My Tears Ricochet” to the “It Ends With Us” soundtrack for a specific edit Lively was involved with. Swift’s name has been prominent in the public narrative surrounding this legal battle, amplified by Baldoni’s legal team having previously issued (and later withdrawn) a subpoena seeking information from Swift. While Baldoni’s side claimed the subpoena was withdrawn because they received the information voluntarily, Lively’s lawyer disputed this account.
What Happens Next
With the judge’s ruling, the private communications between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift related to “It Ends With Us” and the legal action must now be produced. This opens the door not only to sharing these messages but also potentially to scheduling a deposition of Taylor Swift herself in the future. While Baldoni’s team gains access, Judge Liman did include a cautionary note, warning them against leaking the communications to the press.
The decision ensures that a window into the private conversations between the celebrity friends will now be accessible to the legal teams involved in the contentious fallout from the “It Ends With Us” production.