Taylor Swift Dragged Into Legal Drama Between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

Pop superstar Taylor Swift has been subpoenaed in a heated legal battle between actress Blake Lively and It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni — a move Swift’s representatives denounce as nothing more than a publicity stunt.

The subpoena, reportedly issued by Justin Baldoni’s legal team, officially names Taylor Swift as a witness in the ongoing dispute that involves allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and defamation on the set of It Ends With Us, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. The legal wrangling began in December 2024, when Blake Lively accused Justin Baldoni of inappropriate behaviour and subsequently orchestrating a public relations smear campaign in response to her complaints.

Justin Baldoni has strongly denied the allegations and responded in January 2025 with a defamation countersuit, accusing Blake Lively of weaponising her connections in Hollywood, particularly her friendship with Swift, to undermine his professional standing.

According to court filings, Justin Baldoni’s countersuit references messages sent by Lively that mention a meeting involving “Ryan and Taylor,” widely interpreted as a reference to her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, and Taylor Swift. In one exchange, Lively reportedly referred to Swift and Reynolds as her “most trusted partners,” likening them to “dragons” from Game of Thrones — a metaphor Baldoni’s attorneys claim was intended to convey the power and influence backing her.

“The message could not have been clearer,” the countersuit reads. “Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”

Taylor Swift’s team, however, says the pop icon has nothing to do with the internal dispute. A spokesperson for Swift told Billboard that she was never involved in any creative, casting, or production decisions related to the film and did not even view It Ends With Us until weeks after its release. Her sole connection, the rep says, was licensing one of her songs — “My Tears Ricochet” — for the soundtrack, just as 19 other artists did.

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“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie,” the statement read. “This document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”

As of now, neither Lively’s nor Baldoni’s legal teams have publicly commented on Swift’s subpoena or clarified whether they intend to pursue her testimony in court. The situation adds another layer of intrigue to a legal battle already loaded with celebrity power, media attention, and serious allegations.

Taylor Swift is currently completing the final leg of her record-breaking global tour. Her involvement—however peripheral—raises questions about the extent to which celebrity networks are being drawn into high-profile legal showdowns.

How do you think this case will impact the public reputations of those involved?

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