Blake Lively’s camp is not here for the circus Justin Baldoni’s legal team seems to be throwing.
Things just got messier in the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation case involving Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz. This week, Lively’s team hit back after Baldoni’s lawyers suggested some absolutely wild ideas, including subpoenaing Taylor Swift and turning Lively’s deposition into a public spectacle at Madison Square Garden. Yes, seriously.
In a scathing statement shared with People, Lively’s reps didn’t hold back. They slammed Baldoni, Sarowitz, and their team for trying to turn a very real legal matter into entertainment, calling it “a serious legal matter, not Barnum & Bailey’s Circus.” They went on to call out the defendants for publicly bullying, intimidating, and shaming women, and even attacking California’s victims’ rights law by labeling it “unconstitutional.” It’s a bold accusation, and Lively’s team made it clear they see right through the performative allyship from these so-called “female allies.”
The chaos hit peak level when Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, proposed that Lively’s deposition be held at Madison Square Garden and ticketed like a concert. The idea? Sell seats or stream it and donate the profits to victims of domestic abuse. It sounds like satire, but no, this was a real legal suggestion. Understandably, Lively’s team found it grossly inappropriate and accused Baldoni’s side of exploiting women’s trauma for tabloid attention.
And then there’s Taylor Swift, who got dragged into the whole mess for absolutely no reason. Baldoni’s team subpoenaed Swift over her track “My Tears Ricochet,” which was used in the It Ends With Us soundtrack. That’s literally the extent of her involvement, just one song. Swift never visited the set, never helped with casting, never edited the film, and didn’t even see it until it was released to the public. During all of this, she was traveling the world headlining the biggest tour in history.
Swift’s spokesperson told The Independent that the subpoena is nothing more than a publicity stunt. “This document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait,” they said, making it clear Swift had zero connection beyond licensing the song, just like 19 other artists did. It’s a transparent move, and Swift’s team isn’t having it.
To make things even more dramatic, it was recently reported that Swift, along with Hugh Jackman, who’s close with both Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, could be called to testify. So far, only Lively and Baldoni have been confirmed to take the stand when the trial kicks off in March 2026. But no, cameras won’t be allowed in the courtroom, despite what Freedman might wish for.
This legal war is far from over, and if Baldoni’s team keeps tossing celebrity names into the ring, it’s only going to get messier. But one thing is crystal clear, Blake Lively is done letting her name, or her friends’ names, be used for cheap press.
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