Taylor Swift is squarely in the eye of a growing legal storm. This war has attracted the attention of actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, recently subpoenaed Swift, prompting a response from her spokesperson, who clarified that the singer’s association with the film “It Ends With Us” was limited to licensing her song “My Tears Ricochet.” This is despite the fact that Swift stayed away from the film’s production and avoided all related public red carpets and events.
Swift’s spokesperson emphasized that the singer’s involvement was solely transactional. The spokesperson stated, “Taylor Swift was only involved in licensing her song ‘My Tears Ricochet’ for the film and was never on set.” Lively’s attorney, Mike Gottlieb, has filed a motion to dismiss claims against Swift filed by the case. In his ruling, he calls these documents “unnecessary, improper, and abusive.”
Baldoni’s legal team upped the ante, alleging that Lively coerced Swift. This last allegation sparked the months-long feud in court between the two parties. Swift deleted any such texts at Lively’s behest, per Baldoni’s attorneys. Baldoni claims that Lively has done a wizard job of using her celebrity contacts, like Swift and Ryan Reynolds. This criminal charge sheds inevitable light on the tangled web of connections between these powerful individuals shaping the production of this potentially award-winning film.
Baldoni’s original complaint, filed in January, depicts a bitterly adversarial exchange between the parties. In this complaint, he highlighted one particularly egregious text message purportedly sent by Lively. In that tweet, she referred to Swift and Reynolds as her “dragons,” implying an innermost circle of friendship and perhaps even signaling her desire to use those connections to further her own goals.
While the legal battle is being closely watched across the country, in large part because of celebrities such as Swift taking center stage. As this story continues to develop, it poses important questions about the ethics of using personal relationships as pawns in public disputes. Swift has remained quiet on the recent developments in this case. She has largely ignored ABC News’ requests for comment.
The legal battle will pick back up very shortly in court. Lively and Baldoni will be tried in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on March 9, 2026. This case will have a deep and lasting effect on the people who work on this case. Perhaps more importantly, it will change the way personal connection complicates professional duty in Tinseltown.
The relationship between Lively and Swift further deepens the intrigue of this legal showdown. As best friends, their relationship has more recently been pulled into the national spotlight in the wake of Metcalf’s accusations and Smith’s counterclaims. This situation exemplifies how friendships in the entertainment industry can become entangled in legal matters, leading to public scrutiny and speculation.
