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Justin Baldoni will be allowed to use text messages between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively pertaining to the film It Ends With Us, a judge has ruled on Wednesday, June 18.
“A motion or request may be, and in this case often has been, both a legitimate litigation tactic and an attempt to maneuver in the broader court of public opinion,” Judge Lewis Liman wrote per Variety.
Lively, who has been friends with the 14-time Grammy winner for over a decade, requested that the text messages between her and Swift remain out of the possession of Baldoni as she argued that the It Ends With Us director is using the singer's fame to bring more attention to the case. However, Linman stated in his order that the text messages will not be leaked to the press.
Baldoni previously issued a subpoena from Swift, which was later dismissed last month.
“We supported the efforts of Taylor’s team to quash these inappropriate subpoenas directed to her counsel, and we will continue to stand up for any third party who is unjustly harassed or threatened in the process,” the spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE, adding that they are “pleased” Baldoni's team has “withdrawn their harassing subpoenas to Taylor Swift and her law firm.”
A spokesperson for the singer declared that Swift's only involvement in the film was the use of her song, “My Tears Ricochet.”
“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,” the spokesperson for the singer wrote at the time.
“The connection Taylor had to this film was permitting the use of one song, ‘My Tears Ricochet.’ 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,” the spokesperson added.
Lively even argued that Swift's involvement in the case is irrelevant but Judge Linman did not agree to the actress' claim.
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“Given that Lively has represented that Swift had knowledge of complaints or discussions about the working environment on the film, among other issues, the requests for messages with Swift regarding the film and this action are reasonably tailored to discover information that would prove or disprove Lively’s harassment and retaliation claims,” the judge wrote.
This follows the news that Baldoni's $400 million lawsuit against Lively being dismissed earlier this month. The director's defamation countersuit named Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and the couples publicist Leslie Sloane. Baldoni's lawsuit against the New York Times after accusing the publication of libel was also dismissed by Linman.
Lively's legal team claimed in a statement that the dismissal of Baldoni's countersuit was a “total victory and complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.”
The Gossip Girl actress claims that Baldoni sexual harassed her during filming of It Ends With Us.
“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million' lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,” the statement continued. “We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys' fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”
The trial for Lively and Baldoni is set for March 2026.
