Taylor Swift's friendship with Blake Lively is under strain as the singer becomes entangled in the ongoing legal battle between Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni. According to multiple sources, the pop superstar has distanced herself from the actress since receiving a subpoena from Baldoni's legal team on May 8.
"Their friendship has halted," a source close to Swift told People. "Taylor wants no part in this drama." Another source added that while the pair are "taking some space," they are "not no longer friends." The subpoena and related court maneuvering appear to have disrupted a fragile peace that followed earlier reports of tensions.
The deteriorating relationship emerged as Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, alleged that Lively's lawyer pressured Swift to publicly support the actress under threat of releasing private text messages. In a now-struck filing, Freedman cited an anonymous source claiming that Lively, through her lawyer, demanded Swift issue a statement following her absence at the 2025 Super Bowl. Swift's representative denied the implication, stating the singer "did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release."
U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman rejected Freedman's claims, striking the letter and a subsequent affidavit from the court record. In his Thursday ruling, Liman wrote that allowing the filing would turn the court docket into a "reservoir of libelous statements for press consumption." He warned Baldoni's attorneys that "future misuse of the Court's docket may be met with sanctions."
Michael Gottlieb, counsel for Lively, called Freedman's letter "cowardly sourced to supposed anonymous sources, and completely untethered from reality." A spokesperson for Lively added, "It took the court less than 24 hours to see through Mr. Freedman's irrelevant, improper and inflammatory accusations, strike them, remove them from the court and warn Mr. Freedman that further misconduct may be met with sanctions."
Freedman alleged that Swift was present at a 2023 meeting at Lively's New York home, during which Baldoni was reportedly "ambushed" by Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Swift, who allegedly endorsed Lively's version of a script scene and pressured him to adopt it. Communications referenced in the lawsuit included Swift by name.
Lively, 37, is currently suing Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation, claims he denies. In response, Baldoni countersued for $400 million, accusing Lively and Reynolds of defamation and extortion. Lively's legal team has characterized Baldoni's claims as "vengeful" and "meritless."
The friction between Swift and Lively has reportedly extended to their mutual circle. Sources said model Gigi Hadid, a longtime friend to both, has become "closer to Taylor" and "distanced herself from Blake," although she still considers her a friend.
Lively has received public support from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn, who released a joint statement backing her claims in December. More recently, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Salma Hayek appeared alongside her at public events. Swift has remained publicly silent throughout the legal fight.
The case is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026, with both Lively and Baldoni expected to testify.
