Taylor Swift has been pulled firmly back into the ongoing legal fallout surrounding It Ends With Us, after a set of private text messages between the singer and her close friend Blake Lively were unsealed in court this week. The messages, filed by Lively’s legal team on January 20, offer an unusually candid glimpse into both Swift’s behind-the-scenes role during the dispute with Justin Baldoni and a separate, more personal moment of strain between the two women as the controversy escalated.
The unsealed texts form part of Lively’s civil case against Baldoni, in which she has accused her former co-star of sexual harassment and retaliation — allegations he has denied. While Swift is not a party to the case, her name has repeatedly surfaced in legal filings, most notably after Baldoni previously alleged that Lively referred to the pop star as one of her “dragons” who would defend her.
In one message sent in early December 2024, Swift appears to weigh in directly on Baldoni’s behaviour. “I think this b*tch knows something is coming because he’s gotten out his tiny violin,” Swift texted Lively. The message was sent weeks before The New York Times published Lively’s formal complaint on December 21, a point her legal team has been keen to stress, denying any connection between the text and the article’s publication.
The wording immediately caught fans’ attention due to its similarity to a lyric from Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl, in which she sings about “bring a tiny violin to a knife fight.” The coincidence has only intensified scrutiny of Swift’s involvement, with critics questioning whether the singer’s support crossed into advocacy, while Lively’s lawyers have pushed back strongly against that interpretation.
Further texts show Lively asking Swift to publicly support her revised version of the It Ends With Us script, “even without having read it.” Swift’s response was emphatic: “I'll do anything for you !!” Lively’s legal team later clarified that the message did not mean Swift agreed to meet Baldoni, intervene directly in the production, or formally endorse the revised script.
Other messages reflect a tone of shared mockery and relief after interactions with Baldoni. Lively praised Swift’s loyalty in a lengthy message, writing: “I kept remembering stuff- You making sh*t up about me and lenses. And referring to yourself as my doll. This clown falling for all of it. But also resisting it. You are the worlds absolute greatest friend ever.” Lively’s lawyers added a caveat in their filing, stating that they “dispute any summary or interpretation inconsistent” with the original texts.
Swift also commented strategically on the use of her music in the film’s marketing. On April 26, 2024, she texted Lively about the inclusion of “My Tears Ricochet” in the trailer: “If Justin was strategic He would be like no Taylor swift in the trailer. Because that gives you more power over the film, that’s your ally not his.” Lively replied bluntly: “You are so right… He should’ve run from your music… How stupid. This was his only shot at having the appearance of an upper hand.”
Despite the sharp language, Swift’s team has consistently distanced her from the production itself. In January 2025, her spokesperson stated: “Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film.”
Separate from the legal strategy, the unsealed documents also reveal a more vulnerable exchange between Swift and Lively about the state of their friendship. On December 4, 2024, Lively reached out, concerned that months of legal turmoil had created distance between them. “I have no reason to ask, but I donno, I've been feeling like I should... is everything ok?” she wrote, admitting she felt like a “bad friend” after being consumed by the case.
Swift responded with uncharacteristic frankness. “you're not wrong,” she replied, explaining that exhaustion from the Eras Tour and the ongoing Baldoni situation had taken a toll. “It's more like... your last few... it's felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees,” she added, before confessing, “I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself.”
Lively acknowledged the criticism, replying with humour and self-awareness: “Thank you for your feedback. We at headquarters are reviewing your concerns and will get back to you in a timely manner.” She later apologised directly, writing: “Point is, I'm being a stupid paranoid weirdo… But I am sorry. To you.” Swift closed the exchange lightly: “First paragraph took me OUT.”
As of publication, neither Taylor Swift nor Justin Baldoni has commented publicly on the newly revealed messages. But their release has added a fresh layer to an already complex legal and personal saga — one that now intertwines celebrity friendship, artistic power, and a courtroom battle with global attention.
Director Justin Baldoni has filed a lawsuit against his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion, as this bitter legal feud following the release of the dark romantic drama continues.
Baldoni, who directed the movie, and production company Wayfarer Studios, filed this suit in federal court in New York, seeking at least $400 million for damages, including lost future income.
The director is alleging that Lively and Reynolds hijacked the film's production and marketing, as well as manipulated the media to ruin his name and others on the production, with false allegations of sexual and other harassment.
Two weeks prior, Lively had sued Baldoni and other associates of the film, claiming that they had retaliated against her for speaking out about her treatment on the set.
Lively made claims of sexual harassment against Baldoni and others, including claiming that for the movie's birthing scene, she was "mostly nude", as non essential people were present, including the financier.
In the latest lawsuit filed in federal court, Justin Baldoni has strenuously denied these allegations.
"This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio," the suit says.
"Then, when Lively and Reynolds' efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat".
"Heartbreakingly, a film that Baldoni envisioned years ago would honour the survivors of domestic violence by telling their story, with the lofty goal of making a positive impact in the world, has now been overshadowed beyond recognition solely as a result of Lively’s actions and cruelty", the suit added. "Lively was so close and comfortable with Baldoni that she freely breastfed in front of him during meetings".
The suit also claimed that moments which Lively now labels sexual harassment and misconduct, she had previously encouraged.
Rejecting these claims, Blake Lively's legal team have called the new lawsuit "another chapter in the abuser playbook".
"This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim," they said in a statement.
"This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender".
Justin Baldoni was ultimately dropped by his agency WME, who also represent Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.
Baldoni also claimed that Reynolds was responsible for this, alleging that the actor had approached a WME executive and "expressed his deep disdain for Baldoni, suggesting the agency was working with a 'sexual predator’".
The suit adds: "Lively knew full well that making those allegations would be a career death sentence for Plaintiffs, especially given that Baldoni has lived his private and public life as an impassioned advocate for gender equality and healthy masculinity".
However, Lively's lawyers have insisted that the evidence would show that other members of the film cast have had similar experiences with Baldoni.
"In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim," her lawyers said. "The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms Lively’s complaint, and it will fail".
In a statement, Bryan Freedman who is Baldoni's lawyer, said that "this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret".
