A trove of text messages and emails sent by Blake Lively, including exchanges with her longtime friend Taylor Swift, have been made public by actor-director Justin Baldoni 's lawyers as they prepare for trial.
Blakely sued Justin and his hired crisis communications expert alleging harassment and a coordinated campaign to attack her reputation after she complained about his treatment of her while filming the 2024 romantic drama It Ends With Us.
The documents were unsealed ahead of Thursday’s arguments before a federal judge in New York City about whether to end their acrimonious yearlong litigation, which has threatened to suck in other actors, musicians and celebrities and raised questions about the levers of power, influence and gender dynamics in Hollywood.
Justin and his Wayfarer Studios production company countersued Blake and her husband, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion. Judge Lewis J. Liman dismissed that suit last June. Liman did not indicate Thursday when he would rule on Blake’s case.
At this point, the trial remains scheduled for May 18, and could be star-studded. A document from Blake’s legal team says people likely to have information about the case, besides Taylor, include model Gigi Hadid, actors Emily Blunt, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera and Hugh Jackman, influencer Candace Owens, media personality Perez Hilton and designer Ashley Avignone.
Many of the text messages and emails unsealed Tuesday night were included in filings by Justin’ss lawyers, who argued that they show Blake was strategically manipulating Justin’s public image by leveraging connections with her powerful and famous friends.
Taylor’s messages show that before and after their feud became public, she was advising Blake how to use Hollywood's power dynamics to her advantage.
In April 2024, Blake sent Taylor a message containing a link to the It Ends With Us trailer — which would be released publicly weeks later, featuring Taylor’s song My Tears Ricochet.
“Wow I love how they use the song,” Taylor replied. “Welcome to hollywood Justin.” The women then speculated about how the public would interpret the song’s inclusion in the film.
“If Justin was strategic/He would be like no Taylor Swift in the trailer/Because that gives you more power over the film, that’s your ally not his,” Taylor wrote.
Blake responded: “You are so right. And so wickedly smart to call it. He should’ve run from your music. I never thought about that. But holy s**t. How stupid. This was his only shot at having the appearance of an upper hand.”
After the hearing, Blake’s attorney Sigrid McCawley told reporters that the text exchange isn't relevant, and that Blake has done “everything she can to protect her friends from not being brought into that.”
“What’s relevant is her claims that she was sexually harassed in the workplace and the witnesses that were there to see that,” McCawley said.
Attorneys for Justin and Taylor did not respond Thursday to emailed requests for comment from a news agency.
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