Actress Blake Lively was surprised by a court decision: a New York court ordered her to hand over certain text messages exchanged with Taylor Swift in the context of a lawsuit for alleged workplace harassment against director and actor Justin Baldoni.
Judge Lewis Liman determined that these messages could be “relevant” to establishing the work environment on the set of the film It Ends With Us, on which Baldoni and Lively worked together. A confidentiality order was imposed to prevent leaks to the press.
The dispute escalated in December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit alleging workplace harassment and retaliation. Baldoni, in response, reportedly suggested that Lively's defense was using Swift for media pressure - though he later withdrew the attempt to subpoena the singer.
The current ruling further complicates the case by expanding the volume of evidence to be reviewed. Baldoni's defense argues that these messages could reveal discussions about the atmosphere on the set. For his part, Lively has criticized the process, calling it a “media distraction” created by the other side.
This episode places major figures like Swift in the legal and media spotlight, and raises expectations about the revelations that may emerge during the legal proceedings.