Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal battle remains ongoing, with the It Ends With Us producer and director, both co-stars, suing each other following their 2024 film release.
And with a trial for Lively v Wayfarer Studios officially set for March 2026, the drama has spiralled, with Lively's longtime friend Taylor Swift implicated in the case by Baldoni’s team for being one of her "most trusted partners."
Swift was subpoenaed as a witness and summoned to court to give information earlier this year as part of the ongoing legal battle - an action that was later withdrawn.
However, Baldoni's team will now be allowed access to Swift and Lively's personal text exchanges, with the judge ruling that "Lively herself has identified Swift as someone likely to have knowledge about complaints or discussions regarding the working environment on the set of It Ends With Us."
Swift's team has previously stated that she had no creative input in the project, and never even set foot on set.
As the legal drama continues, sources have opened up about the impact on Swift and Lively's friendship, particularly following the leaked text to Baldoni, where Lively seemingly describes Swift as one her 'dragons'.
"If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons," read the text message, allegedly from Lively to Baldoni. "For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really, we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you."
"[Taylor Swift] will forever be furious at how Blake quite clearly was using her for clout and leverage in her dealings with Justin," a source recently alleged to Page Six. "She really hates that Blake would even think like that, let alone write the things she did in that text."
The source continued: "The damage Justin did by revealing those texts - the 'dragons' text most especially, and by his initial subpoena, even though he dropped it - is lasting and probably permanent.
"The truth is, the text wasn’t even accurate," the insider added. "That’s not the kind of friendship they ever had - Taylor would never think of herself as Blake’s 'dragon,' or protector, or someone who would interfere on her behalf. For starters, Blake is a grown woman who doesn’t need anyone to do that for her. Secondly, she’s married to one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. It was never a matter of Taylor believing she’d ever have to fight any battles for Blake. For her to see Blake use her name in that context was really hurtful."
The Lively v Wayfarer Studios trial will take place in March 2026.
We will continue to update this story.
