Lively asks court to block Baldoni from involving Taylor Swift
What's the story
In the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the former has requested a judge to prevent any further attempts by Baldoni's legal team to involve Taylor Swift.
The request comes after Baldoni's attorneys previously subpoenaed Swift for communications related to It Ends With Us.
Lively's lawyers have called this move a "publicity stunt" that had no legal relevance.
Her legal team filed a motion asking the court to block any discovery of communications between Lively and Swift.
Legal stance
'Using Ms. Swift's name to generate tabloid fodder...'
Lively's attorney, Esra Hudson, stated in the motion that Swift is not mentioned in Lively's amended complaint.
Her team argued that Baldoni's legal team is "using Ms. Swift's name to generate tabloid fodder" instead of pursuing legitimate legal claims.
This comes after Baldoni's team subpoenaed Swift for text messages and other communications related to It Ends With Us production, which were later withdrawn after objections from Swift's attorney Doug Baldridge.
Legal strategy
Lively's legal team emphasizes they are not 'playing around'
Lively is looking to prevent any mention of Swift in the proceedings.
Hudson emphasized, "The only allegations in this action that were ever remotely relevant to Ms. Swift were in the Wayfarer Parties' [Baldoni's production company] now dismissed complaint."
This comes after a section of Baldoni's defamation case was thrown out and his extortion lawsuit referenced Swift's reported support for Lively in a creative dispute over the film.
The complaint claimed Lively had once called Swift one of her "dragons."
Publicity stunt
Baldoni trying to pull Swift into the case for PR?
Lively's legal team has accused Baldoni and his team of trying to use Swift's name as a "PR tactic."
Lively's team told Page Six, "Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties are still demanding access to Taylor Swift's private communications—despite having already subpoenaed and then withdrawn that subpoena after they 'got all they needed.'"
"The ongoing attempts to once again try and use the world's biggest star as a PR tactic... serves only to distract."
Legal feud
Recap of the ongoing legal battle
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni has been going on since December 2024, when Lively filed a sexual harassment case against Baldoni.
The It Ends With Us director countersued his former co-star, her husband-actor Ryan Reynolds, publicist Leslie Sloane, and The New York Times for $400 million.
Judge Lewis J Liman dismissed this case on June 9.
While the major part of his lawsuit has been dismissed, Baldoni can still modify and refile certain claims by June 23.