Taylor Swift has ended her longtime friendship with Blake Lively after being unexpectedly pulled into a legal dispute involving Lively and "It Ends With Us" director Justin Baldoni, according to multiple insider accounts. The Grammy-winning artist, 35, was subpoenaed as a potential witness earlier this year, despite having no direct involvement in the film's production. The incident has reportedly left Swift feeling "exploited" and deeply betrayed.
"Right now, if Taylor had one wish, it would be that she never met Blake," an insider told the Daily Mail. "Although there were good times, the issues around the Baldoni case have outweighed them. When Taylor looks back, she sees all the red flags she missed. It just wasn't worth the stress."
The fallout stems from a $400 million legal battle between Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, who has accused the actress of harassment and of manipulating set dynamics by invoking her friendship with Swift. In response, Lively filed her own harassment claims against Baldoni in December. The lawsuit quickly expanded beyond the film itself, as legal filings revealed the existence of confidential messages referencing Swift's personal life.
Earlier this month, Baldoni's legal team dropped the subpoena after reportedly receiving the information they were seeking. Swift's spokesperson emphasized the singer's lack of involvement with the production, stating: "Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie. She was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, did not score the film, never saw an edit or made any notes on the film . . . She didn't even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release."
The source added that Swift had often attempted to "tone Blake down" behind the scenes and had tolerated what they described as attention-seeking behavior. "She always wanted to be the leader of the pack," the insider said. "Taylor's relieved the relationship is over. She put up with Blake's antics for too long because she's loyal, but this drama pushed her too far."
Swift's partner, NFL player Travis Kelce, has reportedly backed her decision to cut ties with Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. "Taylor and Travis are disgusted with Blake and Ryan and how they tried to use Taylor in their fight against Justin Baldoni," another insider told the Daily Mail. "They're vowing that their break from the acting couple is permanent."
Kelce appeared to signal the rift by unfollowing Reynolds on Instagram several weeks ago.
The friendship rupture has sent ripples through Swift's inner circle. Model Gigi Hadid, once friendly with Lively, has also distanced herself. She "hasn't necessarily chosen sides," a source told Us Weekly, "but her tight bond with Taylor and her silence with Blake hasn't gone unnoticed. They haven't been in touch much this year, and it does have everything to do with the lawsuit."
Meanwhile, Lively's legal team has rejected allegations that her lawyers attempted to coerce Swift into public support by threatening to release private communications. "We unequivocally deny all of these so-called allegations, which are cowardly sourced to supposed anonymous sources, and completely untethered from reality," said her attorney, Michael Gottlieb.
