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Blake Lively’s lawyer denies threatening to leak Taylor Swift texts

Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent)
A new filing claims Blake Lively’s lawyer threatened to leak texts if Swift didn’t support her — a claim Lively’s team strongly denies.
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Summary

Legal pressure claims

Justin Baldoni’s legal team claims Blake Lively’s attorney threatened to leak Taylor Swift’s texts if she didn’t publicly support Lively — an allegation strongly denied by Lively’s camp.

Swift subpoenaed

Taylor Swift has been formally subpoenaed as a witness in the ongoing lawsuit, after her name surfaced in messages tied to the It Ends With Us film production.

Friendship tension

Though Swift and Lively have been friends since 2015, the legal drama has reportedly caused tension — leaving fans uncertain about where their relationship now stands.

Full story

Blake Lively’s legal team is denying new claims that they threatened to release Taylor Swift’s private text messages amid the ongoing legal dispute between Lively and actor-producer Justin Baldoni. The allegation comes from a court filing submitted by Baldoni’s attorneys, who said Swift was pressured to publicly support Lively or risk having their personal messages exposed.

However, it was quickly shut down by a judge after Lively’s team fought back in court.

Swift has now been subpoenaed as a witness in the ongoing legal case between Lively and Baldoni, who are locked in dueling lawsuits.

The legal drama began in 2024, when Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation tied to their work on the film “It Ends With Us.” Baldoni responded with a $400 million countersuit, claiming defamation and extortion.

Swift was named in the filing after text messages surfaced that referenced an alleged script meeting she attended. Her team disputed her involvement.

Allegations of coercion

In a legal filing dated May 14, Baldoni’s attorneys claimed Lively’s legal team “demanded that Ms. Swift release a statement of support for Ms. Lively, intimating that, if Ms. Swift refused to do so, private text messages of a personal nature in Ms. Lively’s possession would be released.”

Lively’s attorney, Michael Gottlieb, has since called the claim “categorically false” in a statement to Page Six.

Swift responds to involvement

According to People magazine, a source close to Swift said Swift was “hurt” after being pulled into the legal fight. Though Swift and Lively have shared a public friendship since 2015, it’s unclear where their relationship currently stands.

The same source said the two were able to put the situation behind them. However, the filing reignited speculation.

Swift distances herself from film

On May 9, a spokesperson for Swift told E! News the singer had no role in the film’s production. The spokesperson said Swift did not visit the set, had no creative input and reportedly didn’t see the movie until weeks after its release.

The trial is set for March 2026.

Cole Lauterbach (Managing Editor) and Ally Heath (Senior Digital Producer) contributed to this report.
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Why this story matters

High-profile legal claims and denials involving Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni and Taylor Swift highlight concerns about the use of celebrity status, anonymous sourcing and potential misuse of the legal process to generate public attention in ongoing litigation.

Celebrity legal disputes

The involvement of well-known public figures brings additional scrutiny and public interest to legal proceedings, while complicating privacy and reputational issues for those involved.

Allegations and evidence

Questions of credibility and burden of proof arise as serious accusations are made based on anonymous sources and denied forcefully by those accused, raising broader issues about evidentiary standards in publicized civil litigation.

Media and public perception

The coverage and handling of subpoenas, court filings, and statements by legal teams show how litigation can be leveraged to shape public narrative and draw media attention, sometimes to the possible detriment of due process.

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Behind the numbers

The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni includes substantial lawsuits: Lively's original lawsuit features an 80-page complaint, while Baldoni countersued for $400 million. A trial date is set for March 9, 2026. Taylor Swift is one of 19 artists who provided music for the film's soundtrack.

Context corner

The legal dispute emerges from the production of "It Ends With Us," where Lively alleged sexual harassment and workplace retaliation against Baldoni. After publicized mutual lawsuits for harassment and defamation, parties connected to both, including public figures like Taylor Swift, have been subpoenaed or drawn into proceedings. The ongoing litigation has led to heightened media scrutiny of private friendships and communications.

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