The ongoing legal battle between actress Blake Lively and director Justin Baldoni has taken a surprising turn with the involvement of pop superstar Taylor Swift. According to court documents filed by Baldoni's legal team, Swift has agreed to be deposed in the high-profile sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit.
Lively's lawsuit alleges that Baldoni, along with producers and publicists, orchestrated an online smear campaign against her in retaliation for her complaints about his behavior on the set of "It Ends With Us." The deposition is expected to focus on any conversations Swift may have had with Lively regarding the set conditions and alleged events. This development follows Baldoni's team successfully obtaining court permission to access messages between Lively and Swift, after Lively's team initially attempted to exclude Swift from the case.
The case is nearing the completion of discovery, with Lively already having given her deposition. However, a scheduling dispute has arisen regarding the timing of Swift's testimony. Baldoni's lawyers requested an extension to accommodate Swift's prior professional commitments, aiming for a deposition date between October 20th and 25th, 2025. Lively's legal team opposed this, questioning the relevance of Swift's testimony and suggesting Baldoni's team deliberately delayed scheduling to create media attention.
This legal back-and-forth highlights the complex dynamics of the case. While Baldoni's team argues the need to include Swift's perspective, Lively's lawyers have previously accused Baldoni's team of using Swift's involvement to generate publicity. A judge previously struck an allegation from the court record suggesting Lively tried to pressure Swift for a statement of support and urged her to delete their communications. The trial is scheduled for next spring in a New York federal court, making this deposition a crucial step in the proceedings. The inclusion of Swift adds another layer of intrigue to this already high-profile case.
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Originally published at: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/taylor-swift-blake-lively-justin-baldoni-lawsuit-deposition-1236516261/
