Additional Coverage:
- Blake Lively’s team celebrates Justin Baldoni withdrawing ‘inappropriate’ Taylor Swift subpoena (the-independent.com)
The legal tussle between actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continues, though with a notable shift. Baldoni has withdrawn his subpoena against pop star Taylor Swift.
Earlier this month, Baldoni, who is being sued by Lively for sexual harassment, had subpoenaed Swift, claiming Lively leveraged her high-profile friendships, including Swift, to manipulate him. Swift’s representative swiftly condemned the subpoena, alleging it was a tabloid ploy.
Lively’s spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the withdrawal, characterizing the subpoenas to Swift and her legal team as “harassing.” They further accused Baldoni’s team of attempting to exploit Swift’s fame from the outset of the case and pledged to defend any third parties subjected to similar tactics. They contend that Baldoni’s team, facing scrutiny in federal court, backed down from their strategy.
This latest development comes amid a flurry of legal maneuvers in the ongoing dispute. Lively initially sued Baldoni, her director and co-star in It Ends with Us, in January, alleging sexual harassment and a subsequent smear campaign.
Baldoni vehemently denies the accusations and countersued for $400 million, claiming Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, are attempting to sabotage his career. The two sides have exchanged public accusations, including the release of a video from the film set and a leaked voice memo apology purportedly from Baldoni to Lively.
In March, a judge ruled in Lively’s favor, restricting access to sensitive information in the case to lawyers only, citing the involvement of “highly personal and intimate information about third parties.” The trial is set to begin March 9, 2026.