Why is Taylor Swift involved in the Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni It Ends With Us case?
Disney+/SonyTaylor Swift has been dragged into the It Ends With Us controversy, but the reason isn’t just down to her friendship with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
This week, Justin Baldoni’s lawsuits against the New York Times, Lively, and Reynolds have gone viral, creating a social media storm that’s been compared to the Amber Heard vs Johnny Depp case.
It all started last summer when director and star Baldoni’s movie, It Ends With Us, dropped in cinemas, followed by rumors of a feud between him and fellow lead Lively. By January 2025, both parties had filed lawsuits against each other.
So, what does Taylor Swift have to do with all of this? As well as being Lively’s best friend, the pop megastar appears to be referenced in court documents.
Why Taylor Swift is dragged into Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni drama
Although the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer isn’t explicitly named in Baldoni’s $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, text messages shared in the defamation case imply her involvement in It Ends With Us script rewrites, referring to Lively’s “megacelebrity friend.”
Creative CommonsThe lawsuit was filed on January 16, 2025, against defendants Lively and Reynolds, as well as Vision PR and its boss Leslie Sloane.
Various evidence is provided to counter the sexual harassment claims made by Lively, accusing the defendants of various wrongdoings including extortion and defamation.
Lively and Reynolds are accused of hijacking the production of It Ends With Us, a movie about domestic violence that is based on the book of the same name by Colleen Hoover.
The rooftop scene has been a notable talking point, as during the press run for the film Lively said, “My husband actually wrote it, nobody knows that but you now.”
According to the complaint, “one of the many examples of Lively’s troubling pattern of manipulation and lies” arrived early in the pre-production stage.
“Lively sent Baldoni a long text describing how directors never permitted her to write scenes for the movies she acted in nor gave her writing credits, even making her hand-scribble her suggestions for lines so that they could not be traced to her,” it states.
“Lively boasted that she had even written for her husband’s movies. Then Lively asked if she could ‘take a pass’ at writing the rooftop scene in It Ends With Us in which the characters Ryle and Lily first meet.”
SonyThe scene is described as a “pivotal” moment as it’s “beloved by book fans” and “critical for setting the tone for the movie,” leaving Baldoni feeling “reluctant to allow an actor (rather than a union screenwriter) to rewrite this key scene.”
Earlier on in the lawsuit, it claims that “even well into production, Lively had not even read the book.”
Nonetheless, the director is said to have felt the need to allow Lively to do her thing. When he received her draft, it “dramatically differed from what had been written originally.”
Baldoni was reportedly reluctant but thanked Lively for her input and said the result would most likely be somewhere between the middle of his version and her rewrite, which led to Lively allegedly going “silent for multiple days.”
In a series of text messages shown in the complaint, Baldoni refers to a meeting in which he was called to Lively’s New York penthouse and “greeted by Ryan Reynolds, who launched into enthusiastic praise for Lively’s version of the scene.
“Hours later, as the meeting was ending, 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.”
Creative CommonsScreenshots of messages allegedly sent between the pair show the filmmaker saying, “Also working on the rooftop scene today, I really love what you did. It really does help a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor).”
In response, Lively is reported to have said it “means a lot,” and that “we are in this together” and that “I have no motives except for you to win.”
She then goes into a lengthy description of her relationship with Reynolds and a friend, whose name has been redacted but is assumed to be Swift. It’s become one of the biggest talking points of the It Ends With Us case, as Lively referred to herself as Game of Thrones’ Khaleesi, describing Reynolds and her friend as her “dragons.”
“As for [redacted] and Ryan (and [redacted] for that matter). I’m the luckiest motherf*cker on the planet to have them as my ‘Dance Moms’ level stage moms… When they loved and signed off on the pages, I felt good to send them to you,” the message reads.
“They asked what you thought specifically after. They checked in so many times. I told them that you laughed a bunch and said it’s probably a blend but you appreciate my passion so much.
“Which of course didn’t feel great for me. Or them. To have my passion be praised instead of any specific contribution. Or even just that you didn’t like the pages. Which was fine also.
“So I think they wanted you and me to see how they felt about the work because they’ve been on my side for far too many experiences where I’ve been overlooked…
“Both Ryan and [redacted] have established themselves as absolute titans as writers and storytellers outside of their primary gig – just singing or just acting or [redacted] just directing…
“They also know I’m not always as good at making sure I’m seen and utilised for fear of threatening egos, or fear of affecting the ease of the process.
“They don’t give a sh*t about that. And because of that, everyone listens to them with immense respect and enthusiasm. So I guess I have to stop worrying about people liking me.
“If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons. For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for.
“So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
As stated by Baldoni’s legal team, “The message could not have been clearer. 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.”
They go on to claim that, following this, “Lively began altering the script daily,” the frequency of which “alarmed the producers, director, and studio.”
They also accuse Lively of “contradicting” herself during the red carpet interview in which she admitted Reynolds wrote the rooftop scene due to her “previous insistence that she had written the scene,” arguing it ”certainly casts Reynolds’ high praise for the rewritten scene in a different light.”
Has Taylor Swift responded?
Swift hasn’t directly addressed the Lively vs Baldoni It Ends With Us drama. The closest there’s been to a response are sources telling the Daily Mail that the singer wants to take a “step back” from Lively as the controversy unfolds.
Creative CommonsOne insider said, “For the time being she is taking a step back from Blake because she doesn’t want to get tangled in this more than she already has – which is far more than she ever needed to be.
“Her friends also think that Blake’s ‘I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have dragons’ text to Justin was uncool and unnecessary because she was essentially used as an intimidation tactic. She was referred to as some kind of pet or possession.
“Taylor shouldn’t even be involved in this at all. She was only going over to visit Blake and Ryan with the understanding that the meeting would be over.”
A second source told the outlet, “Taylor has politely backed away from it all. She is conscious of her own image and hates that she was even mentioned.”
Blake Lively’s brother-in-law Bart Johnson gets involved
Swift isn’t the only celebrity whose name has cropped up in the case. High School Musical star Bart Johnson, who’s married to Lively’s half-sister Robyn Lively, has commented on the case.
DisneyBefore Baldoni filed his lawsuit, Johnson had publicly defended Lively and appeared to slam the filmmaker. As per US Weekly, he left a now-deleted comment under the New York Times’ Instagram post last December.
“Her complaints were filed during the filming. On record. Long before the public conflict. The cast unfollowed him for a reason. Read this article before spitting ignorance… No one is with out faults. But the public got played.”
That same month, he wrote in a now-deleted X/Twitter comment, “He’s a fraud. He puts on the ‘costume’ of a hero, man bun and all. Used all of the trendy catchphrases and buzz words for his podcasts.”
However, on January 28, Johnson took to social media to share a post in which he expressed regret over his past remarks. “Anytime I’ve said anything unkind about someone I’ve regretted it,” he wrote.
“Fortunately that’s almost never and definitely not when I’m at my best. Regardless if it’s true or not, if it’s my opinion, even if I’m trying to speak truth or stand up for someone, it’s never good.
“Even in times where it might ‘feel’ justified and doing the right thing, it makes no difference. There’s a better way. It’s below the standard I have for myself and I regret it. I do sincerely apologize to anyone I’ve hurt or let down by saying something that sounds mean. I’ll do better.
“If you follow me you know you’ll be hard pressed to find more than one time I’ve criticized anyone on social. It’s not my jam. You can easily find a million times I’ve uplifted, supported, encouraged and uplifted my family, friends, followers, and strangers.
“That’s what I’m committed to and where I find my happiness. We all have flaws and I’m definitely a work in progress and doing my best to grow and be better. Sending ALL my love to ALL of you.”
For more on the case, read about the gag order request and what it means and the “uncomfortable” Blake Lively interview that went viral last year.