Blake Lively isn’t backing down in her explosive legal showdown with It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, and now, she’s bringing Scooter Braun and HYBE America into the mix.
In a major move that just amped up the stakes, Lively, 37, has subpoenaed Braun, 43, and his company to uncover what they may know about Melissa Nathan, a crisis PR expert who allegedly worked for Baldoni for one month during the height of the scandal. The subpoena is part of Lively’s broader effort to track down all players involved in what she describes as a deliberate campaign to tarnish her reputation. According to sources, Lively believes Nathan’s brief involvement may hold crucial details, and she’s not letting any stone go unturned.
While legal docs haven’t hit the public record just yet, insiders confirmed the subpoena was officially sent. It comes after Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit and $250 million libel complaint against The New York Times were both thrown out by Judge Lewis J. Liman. The judge’s decision, which landed just days before Braun’s name got dragged into this high-profile mess, marked a huge legal win for Lively. She had previously filed a lawsuit in December 2024 accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and of launching a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied the claims.
Let’s be real: this entire case has been loaded with Hollywood-level drama. Braun, who’s no stranger to controversy, remember the whole Taylor Swift catalog saga?, has now been pulled back into the spotlight. He previously worked with Baldoni in a 2018 roundtable on masculinity and the #MeToo movement. One of the participants? Jamey Heath, another defendant in Lively’s original lawsuit. That event was produced by Wayfarer Studios, and while it’s unclear what exact info HYBE or Braun may hold, Lively clearly suspects they know more than they’ve let on.
And speaking of Taylor Swift, her name popped up in this mess too. Lively and Swift, longtime BFFs, reportedly hit a rough patch after Swift was subpoenaed by Baldoni’s team back in May. Although Swift’s subpoena was later dropped, sources say the move left a crack in their friendship. Lively apologized, but the wound’s still fresh. “Their friendship is still wounded,” one insider told Us Weekly. It’s the kind of headline that practically writes itself, Lively, Swift, Braun, and Baldoni all tangled in a legal firestorm no one saw coming.
But let’s not forget what this is really about. Lively isn’t just fighting for herself, she says this battle is about standing up for women’s rights and calling out retaliation when women dare to speak out. After Judge Liman’s dismissal of Baldoni’s major claims, Lively broke her silence on Instagram. “Last week, I stood proudly alongside 19 organizations united in defending women’s rights to speak up for their safety,” she posted. “Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us.” She linked to resources for survivors and made it clear, this isn’t just legal strategy. It’s personal.
Lively’s legal team didn’t hold back either. Her attorneys, Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb, released a fiery statement calling the dismissal “a total victory and complete vindication.” They labeled Baldoni’s massive lawsuit “a sham,” and confirmed they’re now seeking attorney’s fees, treble damages, and even punitive damages.
But Baldoni’s not waving the white flag just yet. His lawyer, Bryan Freedman, fired back in a statement saying Lively’s “declaration of victory is false.” Freedman claims the court has actually allowed them to amend four of their seven claims against Lively and promises more “refined allegations” are coming. Oh, and he’s personally handling Lively’s deposition. According to him, this case isn’t over, it’s just heating up.
With a trial set for March 2026, there’s still plenty of time for this legal circus to grow even messier. But for now, Blake Lively seems to have the upper hand. She’s not just defending her name, she’s using her platform to speak out for other women dealing with similar retaliation. And while this latest twist with Scooter Braun might seem like a shocking curveball, it’s exactly the kind of power move you’d expect from someone who’s refusing to let silence win.
As for what’s next, Baldoni has until June 23 to amend his surviving claims of breach of implied covenant and tortious interference with contract. And with Lively pushing forward and calling out the system, don’t expect her to retreat anytime soon. She’s made it clear, this fight goes beyond Hollywood.
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