The Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively back-and-forth post It Ends With Us has honestly been script-worthy in itself. The lawsuits, the public spats, the newspaper exposé — we’ve seen it all. But with Baldoni’s suit now dismissed by the courts, we’re finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, with Lively choosing not to celebrate but instead shine a light on the need to protect women’s right to speak up. 5z341n

BBC reports that Judge Lewis Liman has formally dismissed Baldoni’s countersuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. Baldoni really cast a wide net there. Lively took the first step in this saga when she filed a legal complaint alleging that Baldoni’s company, Wayfarer Studios, oversaw sexual harassment on the set of It Ends With Us and that Baldoni retaliated against her when she brought those charges.

Of course, before this entire saga, Baldoni had built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s foremost champions of gender equality. The Jane the Virgin star had even won awards on that front — awards that have since been rescinded. But Baldoni’s gripe with the allegations was that Blake Lively decided to go public with the treatment she was allegedly subjected to on his set via The New York Times.

The Times brought forth evidence of Baldoni’s alleged planned public smear of Lively. It was reported that Baldoni had a falling-out with Lively well before the movie came out and started planning how to make her seem like the villain. A leaked text showed even his own PR firm stunned by how easy it was to make the public think the worst about women. Baldoni dismissed the report as texts taken out of context and that the internet was just doing all the attacking organically.

Furthermore, Baldoni filed a countersuit against Lively’s camp — including the publication — asking for $400 million. He alleged that they were all involved in a coordinated plot to ruin his reputation and career. Judge Liman zeroed in on two main allegations: that Lively “stole” the film through threats, and that Lively and her co-accused fabricated the sexual abuse story from thin air.

Judge Liman reasoned that Baldoni’s counsel did not prove that Lively’s threats were wrongful illegal extortion, rather than just renegotiation and hard bargaining. He also added that Baldoni took issue with statements made by Lively inside a lawsuit — and those are considered “privileged” statements. As for The Times, the judge said Baldoni’s team failed to prove they acted with actual malice. Therefore, the judge dismissed the entire case.

In what the press is now describing as a “total victory” for Lively, the star herself was very measured in her response. The Gossip Girl star has already been open about how hard her life has been since her private affairs became fodder for fans to debate. On a talk show appearance, Lively shared that during this time she often leaned on her kids to recalibrate her on what truly matters. She later took to Instagram Stories with a reserved but powerful statement, thanking and spotlighting 19 organizations that stand up for women’s rights, saying: “I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit.”

Blake Lively via Instagram:

“Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women's rights to speak up for their safety. Like so many others, I've felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us. While… pic.twitter.com/SwVmUoTeoh

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) June 9, 2025

Powerful words. The “spectacle,” however, is not over yet—as the main suit is still scheduled for a later date.

A federal judge has ruled against Blake Lively in her ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni, dismissing her claims of emotional distress in their lawsuit regarding the film “It Ends with Us.” The decision came just months before the trial is set to begin in March 2025.

According to Hindustan Times, Judge Lewis J Liman of the Southern District of New York denied Lively’s request to withdraw her emotional distress claims on Tuesday. The judge specified that these claims would not be dismissed without prejudice unless both parties agreed to the .

Lively’s legal team, represented by attorneys Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, criticized Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios’ actions, calling it an “utterly pointless motion to compel, all searching for yet another press moment.” They maintained that Lively would continue pursuing emotional distress damages through other claims in her lawsuit, including allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation.

Legal battle intensifies as multiple lawsuits emerge 4o6232

The conflict began in December 2024 when Lively filed a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni and his associates of sexual harassment and retaliation. This was followed by a defamation and extortion lawsuit from Baldoni against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their public relations team.

Judge Liman’s ruling stated that if the emotional distress claims are not dismissed, Lively would be prevented from presenting any evidence related to emotional distress in the case. This development adds another layer of complexity to an already complicated legal situation that has drawn in other high-profile figures, including Taylor Swift, Disney, and Marvel.

The case has particularly focused on allegations of mistreatment during the production of “It Ends with Us,” a film that addressed themes of domestic violence. While the movie performed well at the box office, reports of tension during its press tour and premiere emerged shortly after.

Sources close to the case indicate that a settlement is unlikely, with both parties expressing their intention to proceed with the trial. The case is scheduled to begin on March 9, 2025, in New York City, in the same courthouse where Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex-trafficking case is being heard.

A shocking accusation has come up in the ongoing legal fight between actress Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni. Baldoni’s legal team claims that Lively threatened to publicly share private text messages between herself and Taylor Swift unless Swift made a public statement ing Lively in her sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Baldoni.

This claim is part of a larger legal battle that includes a $400 million countersuit filed by Baldoni against Lively, where he accuses her of defamation and extortion. The accusation appeared in a letter to the judge, responding to objections from Lively and Ryan Reynolds about a subpoena sent to Taylor Swift’s law firm, Venable.

Baldoni’s lawyers say they received information from an anonymous but seemingly trustworthy source suggesting Lively tried to pressure Swift into ing her. According to People, this alleged pressure included requests for Swift to delete text messages and a demand, ed through their lawyers, for a public statement. The implied threat was that the private messages would be made public if Swift refused. Allegedly, Swift’s lawyers retaliated and “addressed these inappropriate and apparently extortionate threats….” 

Blake Lively may have “threatened” Taylor Swift 5i684s

Lively’s lawyer has strongly denied these claims, per Yahoo! News, calling them false and without evidence. They described the accusations as cowardly and disconnected from reality, further accusing Baldoni’s legal team of acting recklessly and ignoring the harm to those involved. They plan to take legal action against Baldoni’s lawyers for their behavior.

The legal conflict started with Lively’s original lawsuit in December 2024 against Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios. She accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation during the making of It Ends With Us, a movie in which Lively starred and Baldoni directed. Baldoni denied the claims and filed his own countersuit in January 2025, naming Lively and others as defendants.

The subpoena sent to Swift caused her representative to release a statement stressing that Swift had very little involvement with the film, only licensing one song for the soundtrack. The representative said Swift was never on set, had no creative role, and only saw the movie weeks after its release, as she was on tour during production. They called the subpoena a publicity stunt meant to attract tabloid attention rather than focus on the facts of the case.

Besides Swift, other people have been mentioned as possible subjects of subpoenas, including Hugh Jackman. While one source said anyone with knowledge of the situation could be subpoenaed, regardless of fame, another source doubted Swift and Jackman would be seriously involved, suggesting it was a distraction tactic.

Lively has publicly thanked Swift for her during filming, and previously released text messages showed Lively referring to Swift and Reynolds as her ive “dragons.” We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.

Little did we know when It Ends With Us came out, fans would genuinely hope this kind of sensationalism truly ends with Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.

The latest update in the Baldoni-Lively saga is that Justin Baldoni’s lawyer now plans to subpoena Taylor Swift, turning the case into an even bigger circus than it already is. This move aligns with New York Times allegations that Baldoni is more focused on destroying Lively’s reputation through publicity stunts than proving his innocence. People reports that, as of now, both Baldoni and Lively are scheduled to testify in their case in March 2026.

The case has caused widespread turmoil and loss. From Baldoni’s point of view, he claims he’s an innocent man and a feminist ally. That’s why, he says, he chose to adapt a Colleen Hoover book about breaking the cycle of abuse. In that light, some people will never see him the same again. He’s already lost awards, representation, and likely several projects that were in development. It would be surprising if he ever worked at the same budget level as he did on his last film.

And from Lively’s side, she’s allegedly lost friends in the industry, and if even half her claims hold water, the aftereffects of that set will haunt her career for good. There are some who will always see her as the one who cried wolf. So much information and commentary have entered the public sphere, yet we remain far from the truth. 

Among Baldoni’s lawsuits is one targeting the New York Times for pushing what he calls an “unverified narrative.” For context, the paper alleged Baldoni and his PR team orchestrated an online barrage with the intention of “burying Lively.” While the New York Times provided text messages and emails ing their claims, Baldoni’s representatives dismissed them as cherry-picked. Now, their latest move doesn’t need investigative reporters to expose. According to Baldoni’s team, they’re trying to sell tickets to Lively’s deposition and stream it from MSG. Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, says they want to “make it count” and donate the proceeds to domestic abuse victims.

Lively’s rep has lashed out at the demand, asserting that “a case of sexual harassment and retaliation into entertainment for the tabloids.”

Swift’s team is understandably furious and issued a statement rebuking the entire effort.

“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, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.”

There’s no longer any question about who’s trying to make a spectacle out of this. That’s the main takeaway from this latest update. Lively recently appeared on Seth Meyers to address the situation for the first time, saying this ordeal will only make it harder for women to come forward in the future.

Baldoni continues to assert his innocence, and we’ll have to wait for the court’s verdict on that front. But we should ask whether we really need to turn this into such a spectacle. Why would Baldoni and his team think watching Taylor Swift speak about the possible sexual harassment of her friend qualifies as entertainment?

Regardless of where you stand — because, somehow, even this has “sides” — we learned from the Johnny Depp case that spectacle only muddies the waters, where justice takes a backseat to cynical entertainment.

Blake Lively’s ongoing case against Justin Baldoni is starting to take a toll on her. Until now, she had released well-worded and measured statements through her representatives, but that changed when she finally addressed the situation on a talk show.

At this point, everything to be said about the case has already been said. Gag orders, New York Times exposés, reverse countersuits, hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, Candace Owens tirades. Every dirty linen Lively’s orbit has ever had is now hanging on her front step for everyone to see. She’s at a point in her career where, whatever she’s doing, the case simply has to come up.

So when her new movie co-starring Anna Kendrick, Another Simple Favor, finally arrived on Amazon’s Prime Video, it seemed all but certain the case would be brought up. It was a matter of when, not if. Luckily for Lively, she chose the “when” to be on Seth Meyers’ talk show, where the host itted he isn’t quite as familiar with the case as, say, most of our TikTok algorithms.

When Lively and Meyers talked about how raising young children has challenged them throughout the years, Lively mentioned that no matter how intense her year was — she had to go home and be “Disneyland every day for them.” That piqued Meyers’ interest, and he asked for more details on Lively’s intense year. While both acknowledged that it’s still an ongoing case and Lively couldn’t share much, she instead chose to share her feelings on the situation, Variety reports Lively saying:

“What I can say without going too into it is that this year has been full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in my life. I see so many women around afraid to speak, especially right now, afraid to share their experiences, and fear is by design. It’s what keeps us silent.”

Behind the scenes, however, things are getting more intense. Ryan Reynolds has been trying to get Baldoni’s motion against him specifically dismissed. According to Reynolds’ lawyers, Baldoni’s case hinges on the Marvel actor calling him a predator a couple of times. Reynolds’ team claims that’s not defamation, but rather his opinion. For some fans, the fact that he just wants to be removed — instead of riding the full wave with his wife — is a sign that he’s abandoning Lively in her time of need. The same is being said of her “other dragon,” Taylor Swift, who is reportedly very upset about being dragged into this complicated case.

The specificities of this case are far too voluminous for anyone to have a fully informed opinion. Whether Baldoni or Lively is in the wrong should be left to the court. Lively’s fans might say that’s because Baldoni launched a very effective media blitz against her, but at this point, it’s just her words against his. The accusations are deeply sensitive. There are not only careers but also families on the line — so the stakes could not be higher.

This case is beginning to feel eerily similar to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard situation, where the main goal seems to have shifted from seeking justice to providing entertainment to the broader culture. At this point, it’s beyond a black-and-white guilty or not guilty — it seems that no matter how it ends, both parties have already lost more than they can begin to describe.

In the fickle world of Hollywood few bonds survive the test of time. From Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa to Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods, long-term friendships crumble when hit by controversies and unexpected drama head-on. One celebrity sisterhood recently rocked by scandal was Taylor Swift and Blake Lively‘s tight friendship.

The pop star used to flaunt her special bond with Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, on social media. But all of that came to a sudden halt when the actress got into a high-profile legal battle with her It Ends With Us leading man and director, Justin Baldoni. After her name got dragged into the mess in January, Swift quietly decided to keep her distance from her BFF. It’s been months since then, but there’s still no sign of a reunion. Could this be the end of their friendship?

If Hollywood insiders are to be asked, there’s no reason to believe that their friendship is ending even though the Grammy-winning artist and the Gossip Girl alum hit a rough patch amid the legal drama. “Blake knew she and Taylor would come back from this at some point and that their friendship wasn’t done for good,” one insider told People.

“Taylor was really hurt,” the insider added, explaining how the “Cruel Summer” hitmaker felt after learning she was named in the court documents filed by Baldoni. The actor claims Swift pressured him to accept rewrites on the film’s script. On another , Swift may have also been offended when Lively referred to her and Reynolds as her “dragons” in a leaked text message, suggesting she was helping torch Baldoni’s creative input like a scene straight out of Game of Thrones.

Despite the drama, Taylor and Blake are still friends 332av

According to the insider, Swift and Lively’s relationship will likely survive the controversy since Swift is willing to look past all the drama and maintain her friendship with Lively. “[Taylor’s] relieved they can recover from this and put it all behind them because it wasn’t something she took lightly.” However, it may still take time before they can return to where they were before the issue started.

Swift and Lively haven’t said a word about each other even as the legal exchanges from both actors kept piling up. Lively has her hands full suing Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment and unprofessional conduct on the set of their movie. As for Baldoni, he has denied all accusations and filed a countersuit, accusing Lively and her husband, as well as their PR team, of orchestrating a smear campaign to ruin his reputation.

Swift and Lively have long been part of each other’s inner circle. Their friendship has even extended to their families. The singer is godmother to Lively and Reynolds’ four children, James, Inez, Betty, and Olin. On the other hand, Lively has been so ive of Swift’s romantic relationships that she was there when the latter was dating Joe Alwyn, and she’s still here now that Swift’s moved on with Travis Kelce. With such a tight bond, it makes sense for Swift to stand by Lively’s side throughout this ordeal with Baldoni. However, with the subpoenas looming and the trials not happening until March 2026, it may be too early to tell if this Hollywood friendship will survive in the long run.

The major legal dispute between actress Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni over their movie It Ends With Us has now grown to include Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman. The lawsuit has expanded because of claims that Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, who are close friends of Lively and Ryan Reynolds, may have been involved.

According to a source who spoke to the Daily Mail, both Swift and Jackman are expected to receive legal subpoenas this week. This development follows Baldoni’s January 2025 lawsuit, which included what he says was a text conversation between Lively and himself. In these messages, Lively reportedly referred to Swift and Reynolds as her “dragons,” comparing them to the protective character Khaleesi from Game of Thrones.

After the lawsuit began, reports from NY Post claimed that Lively apologized to Swift for dragging her into the legal fight. Sources said Swift accepted the apology and believed it was sincere. Despite their close friendship, Swift and Lively have not been seen together in public since the legal battle started.

Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman are now involved in Blake Lively’s lawsuit 592r4k

Lively first filed the lawsuit in December 2024, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and spreading false rumors about her. Baldoni then filed his own lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, in January 2025, seeking $400 million in damages. He claims they defamed him, tried to blackmail him, invaded his privacy, and made other false claims.

Both sides deny the accusations made against them. The case is set to go to trial in March 2026. Baldoni’s lawsuit claims that Lively used her connections with Swift and Reynolds to pressure him into making changes to the movie’s script.

He specifically says that Swift was present at a meeting in Lively’s New York City penthouse where they discussed rewriting a rooftop scene in the film. He alleges that Lively used this meeting to intimidate him. Swift’s 2020 song, My Tears Ricochet, was used in a scene and the trailer for It Ends With Us. Baldoni’s lawyer suggested that Swift might be asked to give a formal statement as part of the legal process.

Lively and Reynolds are known to be very close friends with Swift and Jackman. Swift is even the godmother to Lively and Reynolds’ three daughters. Jackman starred alongside Reynolds in the 2024 movie Deadpool and Wolverine. Baldoni’s legal team has argued that the character Nicepool in that film was meant to mock Baldoni, pointing out similarities in hairstyle and a scene that references Lively’s character in It Ends With Us.

The exact role Swift played in making the movie is still unclear. While she was not directly involved in acting or directing, Lively mentioned in a 2024 interview with CBS Mornings that Swift was around during production. There are also reports that Swift may have had a say in casting decisions, including the choice of Isabela Ferrer, who played a younger version of Lively’s character.

According to the Economic Times, Baldoni himself itted in an Access Hollywood clip that Swift was involved in the casting process. Some reports also suggest she may have influenced script changes. Hugh Jackman’s possible involvement comes from his friendship with Lively and Reynolds and Baldoni’s claim that Deadpool and Wolverine included a mocking reference to him.

The expected subpoenas for Swift and Jackman mark a big step forward in the legal case. Whether they will actually testify and what they might say is still unknown, but their involvement could have a major impact as the case moves toward the scheduled trial in March 2026.

Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has publicly backed actor and director Justin Baldoni in his lawsuit against the New York Times. Weinstein said he sees similarities between Baldoni’s situation and his own past troubles with the newspaper.

From prison, Weinstein released a statement showing for Baldoni, who is suing the NYT and actress Blake Lively over an article that included accusations of sexual harassment against him. Weinstein told TMZ that he believes the way the NYT treated Baldoni is a lot like how they handled his own case. In 2017, the NYT published a major investigation exposing multiple accusations of sexual harassment and assault against Weinstein, which helped start the #MeToo movement.

Baldoni’s legal case against Lively comes from their work together on the 2024 movie It Ends with Us. Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and defamation, while Baldoni fired back with his own lawsuit, claiming that Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, worked together to ruin his reputation. Baldoni argues that the NYT twisted the facts by leaving out important details and changing the way certain communications were presented, making the story misleading for readers.

Harvey Weinstein s Justin Baldoni 291p34

Weinstein says the newspaper intentionally picked only the worst parts to make him look guilty. He claims the newspaper used the same tactics when writing about him—choosing only the details that ed the accusations while ignoring anything that might have made him look less guilty.

According to Weinstein, the problem isn’t just how the NYT reports stories but also the damage that kind of reporting causes. Both Weinstein and Baldoni say the newspaper’s coverage hurt their reputations and played a big part in their legal troubles. This shared experience is why Weinstein is so strongly ing Baldoni’s lawsuit.

In his statement, Weinstein also itted he regrets not fighting back harder when the NYT first wrote about him in 2017. He said, “I should have stood up and fought back then. I should have had the courage to speak out against the way the truth was twisted. That failure still haunts me. I’ll be watching this case closely — it matters to anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of a media takedown, and even more to someone who’s had to pay a high legal price.”

His for Baldoni now is partly because of that regret. Weinstein’s own legal situation makes his public stance complicated—he’s been convicted of rape and other sex crimes in both Los Angeles and New York, though he won an appeal in New York and is waiting for a new trial. His case shows how damaging bad media coverage can be, especially in high-profile legal battles.

Interestingly, the NYT article about Baldoni and Lively was co-written by Megan Twohey, one of the same journalists who helped break the Weinstein story in 2017. This connection makes Weinstein and Baldoni even more convinced that the newspaper has a pattern of unfair reporting. However, Weinstein was convicted, and many spoke out to back up the claims against him, so it’s hard to say the reporting was untrue.

The Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni feud has become a drama which currently has no ending in sight, not because each side keeps serving new evidence against the other party. Because they keep countering the presented evidence with proof that makes guessing its authenticity impossible. This time, it’s Blake Lively’s shocking claim that she was not in agreement with the “violative” birthing scene since Baldoni hired his “best friend” for the role who was too close to her “nude genitalia” in the scene.

Okay, that’s a serious accusation, and as per her claims in the complaint (obtained by Page Six), this scene was allegedly a new addition by Baldoni and it “disturved her,” even more so when he “introduced his ‘best friend’ to play the role of the OBGYN, when ordinarily, a small role of this nature would be filled by a local actor.” Lively, in her complaint, further adds that Baldoni’s friend playing this intimate role where “the actor’s face and hands were in close proximity to her nearly nude genitalia for a birth scene, was invasive and humiliating.”

“Mr. [Jamey] Heath and Mr. Baldoni also failed to close the set, allowing non-essential crew to through while Ms. Lively was partially nude from below the chest down with her legs spread wide in stirrups and only a small piece of fabric covering her genitalia.”

That is indeed a grave allegation, one that would have made Lively’s case stronger. “Would have” because the actor she mentioned in the complaint, who allegedly made her uncomfortable in this intimate scene, has come forward to technically dismantle her of what was happening behind the scenes.

In his comments to Page Six, actor Adam Mondschein, the OBGYN who aided in Lily’s delivery in the film, has claimed that his recollection of the scene is “very different than the one she described in her lawsuit.” As per the actor’s description, the actress was wearing a “full hospital gown, black shorts and torso-covering prosthetic to make her appear pregnant in addition to whatever personal garments she chose.”

Mondschein added that despite what Lively said in her complaint, when the scene in question was being shot, she never raised any issue or project that she was uncomfortable because “nothing unusual or improper occurred.”

“It was entirely professional.”

He also didn’t like the Gossip Girl star’s insinuation that he was not fit for the role of OBGYN. As for her assertion that Baldoni should have hired a local actor for the role, Mondschein shared he was a “local hire” since he is from New York and covered his own expenses for the job as per the usual rules of a contract for such roles.

In fact, the actor is willing to testify in court that Lively’s claims about her state in the scene are completely untrue. This would make yet another evidence by the actress whose authenticity is now dicey, just like how she has alleged that Baldoni barged into her trailer and “invaded” her privacy but text interactions shared by the director allegedly painted a different picture — of Lively inviting Baldoni while she was “pumping.”

But no matter how many questions get leveled at her accusations, she is adamant on her claims that Justin Baldoni sexually harassed her during the production of It Ends With Us.

Blake Lively’s lawyers have strongly criticized Justin Baldoni’s response to her request to dismiss his $400 million defamation lawsuit. Lively’s legal team argues that Baldoni’s counterarguments show a clear effort to weaken a California law meant to protect victims of sexual harassment from being sued as retaliation. They believe his approach could discourage people from speaking out about harassment in the future.

As reported by TMZ, Baldoni’s defense focuses on challenging Lively’s claim that her accusations of sexual harassment are protected under California’s Protecting Survivors from Weaponized Defamation Lawsuits Act (AB 933). His lawyers say Lively’s claims don’t have a “reasonable basis” and were made “with malice,” meaning the law shouldn’t protect her. They also claim her allegations are “made up”—either completely false or greatly exaggerated.

To this, Baldoni points to an old interview where Lively talked about wanting creative control over her projects, suggesting her accusations were really about taking over the movie It Ends With Us.

Blake Lively argues back against Baldoni 5wc5r

Lively’s side sees Baldoni’s actions very differently. Her lawyers say his lawsuit is an attack on AB 933 itself and could scare future harassment victims into staying silent. They point out the contradiction in Baldoni’s public image—he’s known as an advocate for harassment victims, yet he’s now trying to remove legal protections for them. This makes Baldoni look less like a victim of false claims and more like someone trying to silence his acc and discourage others from coming forward.

At the heart of Baldoni’s argument is his First Amendment right to sue Lively for defamation, as reported by Variety. His legal team says her accusations have hurt his reputation and career, and he has the right to defend himself in court. They paint Lively and her team as powerful Hollywood figures trying to misuse AB 933 to avoid responsibility and stop Baldoni from clearing his name.

His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, calls this a “dangerous precedent,” arguing that the law shouldn’t be used to block someone’s right to sue over false accusations. If Baldoni succeeds in challenging Lively’s use of AB 933, it could make it harder for future harassment victims to speak up without fear of being sued.

Beyond the courtroom, both sides are fighting hard in the media. Lively’s team is framing this as more than just a legal case—it’s a moral issue that could affect the #MeToo movement. They want public by showing Lively as a brave victim standing up to a powerful man who cares more about his reputation than protecting others.

On the other hand, Baldoni’s PR strategy paints him as the real victim, claiming Lively is using her fame to spread lies and control the story. His side wants people to see him as an innocent person fighting back against false accusations.

Since the beginning, Taylor Swift‘s name has been attached to the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the stars of It Ends With Us. A close friend of Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and an entertainment powerhouse, Swift’s name was initially mentioned by Baldoni, who claimed she was interfering with the production.

Now, the pop megastar has been roped into court proceedings following a subpoena. If a Mail Online source is to be believed, the music artist will face questioning under oath to clarify her role and insights in the sexual harassment and retaliation case against Baldoni. They also claimed that the first group of potential witnesses that Baldoni’s team wants to hear from have been ed and are due to give evidence at a later date, with other depositions to follow.

Potential witnesses include Swift, It Ends With Us co-stars Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer, staff at Lively’s talent agency, WME, and executives at the distributor, Sony. If deposed, they will answer questions under oath as witnesses, and their responses will be recorded by court reporters.

The bad blood 93w13

The news follows months of back and forth after what Lively alleges was a smear campaign orchestrated by star and director Baldoni. The actor claims Baldoni acted inappropriately with her and other women during production, and that he retaliated against her when she reported it in May 2023. She filed an official complaint in December 2023.

A New York Times article later leaked private messages between Baldoni and a crisis management team hired to sway public opinion to Baldoni’s side by painting Lively as a steamroller on set who wanted to take the reins away from Baldoni. If true, they did a stellar job of it, with Lively’s reputation quickly turning to ashes as news trickled out about her alleged antics on set.

Baldoni’s suit against Lively and Reynolds claimed, “A famous, and famously close, friend of Reynolds and Lively, walked into the room and similarly began praising Lively’s script. Baldoni understood the subtext: He needed to comply with Lively’s direction for the script.”

Taylor Swift has been dragged into the Baldoni/Lively legal saga…

In his lawsuit filed today, Baldoni claims that Blake insisted on re-writing part of the script (the rooftop scene). Baldoni claims he was "summoned" to Blake/Ryan's home to discuss Blake's version of the… pic.twitter.com/ruJUlcgCdX

— Elizabeth Wagmeister (@EWagmeister) January 16, 2025

Swift’s alleged involvement in pushing Baldoni around creatively aligns with his narrative; that a more famous and wealthy star decided she didn’t trust his vision, and deployed the powerhouses around her to help get her way. Reynolds also was involved in asking for rewrites, according to Baldoni’s team. Swift has never commented on the lawsuits.

When Swift was initially raised in relation to the drama, Lively’s lawyers countered by saying Baldoni’s people “are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni.” They also said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the ab attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender.”

Blake Lively has always been seen as a warm, sweet, friendly actress. She was known for playing rich Gossip Girl teen Serena Van Der Woodsen and enjoying family life with her hilarious husband Ryan Reynolds. Then, once It Ends With Us came out in summer 2024, people began talking about Lively’s mean behavior during a few interviews. And a PR storm began when Lively sued co-star and director Justin Baldoni for allegedly trying to smear her reputation and for sexual harassment.

In Feb. 2025, Lively asked for a protective order, and according to The New York Post, the lawyers representing Baldoni penned a letter to the judge saying they were “surprised” because of “how actively the Lively Parties have publicized and litigated Ms. Lively’s claims in the media.” The continual legal battle has brought up the question of how Lively’s costars feel about her.

What have actors said about co-starring with Blake Lively? h6t4v

Rossella Rago, who was Lively’s Gossip Girl stand-in, posted on TikTok that Lively “was very unpleasant to work with.” Lively’s fans might be surprised to hear what Rago claims she did while filming the juicy teen drama. Rago said, “She would burp and fart in the middle of the set – and act like we were lucky to be smelling her farts.” Well, that’s a new one! Rago also said Lively is “used to being adored” and took Baldoni’s side in the legal battle.

However, although Lively was a terrible co-star according to Rago, that’s not the picture that other actors have painted. According to Us Weekly, several Gossip Girl cast are fine with Lively. Kelly Rutherford called her “magical” and “cool” and Michelle Trachtenberg said “We were all chill. It was cool” despite speculation that Leighton Meester and Lively didn’t get along. Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley also said Lively and Badgley were fine on set after they broke up. (This is my first ime learning that Dan and Serena dated IRL, where have I been?)

Lively was apparently great on the set of A Simple Favor and the sequel A Simple Favor 2 as well. Michele Morrone, who portrays Emily’s new partner, shared via Instagram in Dec. 2024 that she is “a person I really love.” Anna Kendrick said in 2018 she and Lively shared a “partner-in-crime vibe” while filming the first film. And Ben Affleck called Lively “mature” after playing her love interest in the 2010 movie The Town.

Several celebs ed Lively after her lawsuit as well, including her Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants co-stars and pals Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, and Amber Tamblyn, who released a t statement. They hadn’t said anything negative about being on set with the actress.

So, what can Lively’s fans think about all this? No one can really know if Lively burped and farted a lot on the Gossip Girl set (still can’t believe this is a thing) and if others had trouble with her. I can’t help but think that if that was true, more people would have talked about it. As Maya Angelou once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.” If only one person has said she was tough to work with and countless others were happy with Lively, that seems to speak volumes. And even if people did have problems with her on set, that doesn’t excuse the alleged behavior that Lively is suing Baldoni for.