Justin Baldoni is no longer calling on Taylor Swift to appear as a witness in his ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively, her good friend and his It Ends with Us co-star.
Earlier this month, Baldoni, 41, who’s being sued by Lively over sexual harassment accusations, subpoenaed Swift, 35. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, claimed that Lively had called on “her high-profile friends,” including the “Cruel Summer” singer, to “manipulate Justin at every turn.”
At the time, Swift’s representative slammed the subpoena, saying it was “designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”
By Thursday, Baldoni’s legal team had dropped the subpoena, with Lively’s spokesperson confirming the news to People, saying they were “pleased” by the former’s decision to withdraw “their harassing subpoenas to Taylor Swift and her law firm.”
“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,” they added.
“The Baldoni and Wayfarer team have tried to put Taylor Swift, a woman who has been an inspiration for tens of millions across the globe, at the center of this case since day one,” they claimed, insisting that “exploiting Taylor Swift’s celebrity was the original plan in [PR professional] Melissa Nathan’s scenario planning document, and it continues to this day.”
“Faced with having to justify themselves in federal court, they folded. At some point they will run out of distractions from the actual claims of sexual harassment and retaliation they are facing,” they concluded.
The Independent has contacted Baldoni’s representative for comment.
Lively sued Baldoni, her It Ends with Us director and co-star, in January, accusing him of sexual harassment on set and of later orchestrating an alleged smear campaign designed to “bury” her.
Baldoni has vehemently denied the accusations and filed a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, of trying to “destroy” his career and reputation.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
In recent months, the two have continuously traded legal barbs. Days after filing his countersuit, Baldoni’s legal team released a seven-minute-long video showing Lively and Baldoni’s interaction while shooting a dance scene in the film. The clip was intended to prove Baldoni’s innocence; however, Lively’s team responded, arguing that it was instead “damning evidence” supporting her allegations.
A week later, a voice memo apology that Baldoni allegedly sent to Lively during the production of the movie was leaked.
In March, Lively submitted a legal request that certain discoveries made in the case be available for “attorneys’ eyes only” to protect against any leaks of sensitive information.
New York Judge Lewis Liman ruled in favor of Lively’s request, agreeing that “highly personal and intimate information about third parties” will only be seen by lawyers. Neither Lively nor Baldoni will have access to the information, which includes details about the actors, such as medical records, trade secrets and security measures taken by each.
The case is scheduled to go to trial starting March 9, 2026.
