A U.S. judge has ruled that private messages between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift can be included in the ongoing legal battle between Lively and actor-producer Justin Baldoni.
According to court documents, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman determined the communications may be relevant to Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and retaliation on the set of It Ends With Us, a film produced by Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios.
Lively’s legal team previously attempted to block Baldoni from accessing the messages, arguing they were irrelevant. However, the judge stated that because Lively claimed Swift had knowledge of the working environment on set, the messages are “reasonably tailored” to the case.
Baldoni’s lawyers had earlier tried to subpoena Swift directly, but dropped the request after her team objected, calling it an “unwarranted fishing expedition.” Lively’s team then sought to prevent access through the normal discovery process but was unsuccessful.
Lively originally sued Baldoni in December 2024, accusing him of harassment and a smear campaign. Baldoni countersued for defamation, though that case was dismissed.
A spokesperson for Lively criticized the decision, accusing Baldoni’s team of exploiting Swift’s fame for publicity. They also denied rumors that Lively’s representatives threatened Swift regarding public support.
Judge Liman rejected the publicity argument, saying it does not override the need for relevant discovery.
Taylor Swift’s representatives have not commented. The case is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.
This development adds a high-profile twist to an already contentious case involving some of Hollywood’s most prominent names.
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