Taylor Swift has been subpoenaed in the legal battle between Justin Baldoni over allegations surrounding the making of their 2024 film "It Ends with Us."
A spokesperson for Swift denied any involvement with the film beyond licensing her song “My Tears Ricochet” to be used in the trailer and a scene: “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, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.”
Swift’s subpoena relates to Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit filed in January, which included text messages between Lively and Baldoni, her co-star and director, in which the former appears to allude to Swift as “one of her dragons.”
In the suit, filed against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, Baldoni alleged that the couple hijacked the film and sought to destroy his public reputation with false allegations and sexual harassment.
While Swift was not named in the suit, her first name appears in a text message Baldoni sent to Lively and is believed to be the “megacelebrity friend” referenced in the filing. The texts concern a rooftop scene in the film that Lively had allegedly reworked in the script.
The suit states that Lively summoned Baldoni to her penthouse in New York where Reynolds and the “megacelebrity friend” praised Lively’s version of the scene. Baldoni’s lawyers stated that he “felt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn’t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him.”
“Also was working on rooftop scene today, I really love what you did. It really does [help] a lot,” wrote Baldoni in the text message. “Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor) You really are a talent across the board. Really excited [and] grateful to do this together.”
Later, Lively sent a text that referred to Reynolds and another person whose name is redacted as “absolute titans as writers and storytellers outside of their primary gig.”
She also compared herself to Khaleesi, the dragon-controlling queen on “Game of Thrones,” and suggested that she has powerful forces in her corner. “My dragons also protect those I fight for,” she wrote. “So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
Swift’s spokesperson dismissed the subpoena as a bid to stir media attention in the case.
“Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case,” said the spokesperson.
Blake later shared her response to Swift being subpoenaed. Her legal team slammed Baldoni's lawyers for issuing the subpoena to the Grammy winner and also clapped back at the suggestion that tickets be sold to Lively's deposition.
In a statement, the actress's rep said: "Mr. Baldoni, Mr. Sarowitz, and team continue to turn a case of sexual harassment and retaliation into entertainment for the tabloids... Going as far as suggesting that they sell tickets to a concert venue - Madison Square Garden - to witness Ms. Lively's deposition, to subpoenaing Taylor Swift, a woman who has given a voice to millions all over the world. This is a very serious legal matter, not Barnum & Bailey's Circus,".
The rep added, "The defendants continue to publicly intimidate, bully, shame and attack women's rights and reputations. Including in the past month seeking to strike down for all, a powerful California victims' rights law, calling it "unconstitutional."
"The disturbing actions by a billionaire, men who made their careers as "female allies" and their team continue to show their true colors".
Though Swift’s spokesperson denies her involvement in the film, “It Ends With Us” actress Isabela Ferrer told Extra that Swift allegedly played a part in getting her cast in it.
Ferrer alleged she “found out later after she got it” that Swift was a “helpful part of the process of the audition.”
The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni began in December when Lively filed a letter with the California Civil Rights Department, claiming Baldoni sexually harassed her and engaged in a 2024 smear campaign against her. After the New York Times ran a report about it, Baldoni sued the publication for $250 million on New Year’s Eve, accusing them of libel.
Lively then sued Baldoni for violating federal and California state law, which prompted Baldoni to file his $400 million suit in January.
Reynolds and Lively both filed motions to dismiss the defamation suit, arguing it’s retaliation for lodging a sexual harassment claim.
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