The Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni feud has escalated after court documents revealed fiery texts in which Taylor Swift sharply attacked Baldoni, adding star power to the legal battle.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media – January 21, 2026
The legal and public feud between Blake Lively and “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni has intensified after court documents revealed explosive text messages in which Lively’s close friend Taylor Swift sharply criticized Baldoni.
According to filings obtained by U.S. media, private messages between Lively and Swift describe Baldoni as a “clown,” with Swift allegedly calling him “a bitch” who had pulled out a “tiny violin” ahead of a damaging New York Times report that accused Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign against Lively. The messages have surfaced as part of Baldoni’s countersuit, pushing the high-profile dispute to a new level.
The documents claim Lively referred to Baldoni as the “doofus director of my movie” while discussing script revisions with Swift during production of the film. Baldoni’s lawyers allege that Lively sought Swift’s endorsement of her rewritten scenes and that the pop star agreed to support her without reviewing the full changes. Swift reportedly texted, “I’ll do anything for you!!”
Further exchanges cited in the filings show Swift advising Lively on strategic use of her music in the film’s trailer, suggesting that allowing a Taylor Swift song could weaken Baldoni’s leverage. Lively allegedly responded by mocking Baldoni’s decision to include the track.
In a separate message dated December 2024, shortly before the New York Times article was published, Swift allegedly told Lively that Baldoni “knows something is coming,” again using explicit language to describe him. Lively has denied coordinating with Swift ahead of the article and rejected claims that Swift endorsed script changes without reading them.
Baldoni’s lawyers also allege Lively disparaged him to other Hollywood figures, including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, claiming she rewrote the script and directed actors herself. The filings further describe Baldoni feeling pressured by what Lively allegedly referred to as her “dragons,” a reference to Swift and Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds.
Representatives for Lively, Swift and Baldoni have not commented on the newly revealed messages. Swift’s team previously sought to distance the singer from the project and its legal fallout, saying she had no creative involvement in the film and was not present during production.
As court proceedings continue, the release of these texts has intensified scrutiny of the power dynamics behind the scenes of the film, turning a creative dispute into one of Hollywood’s most closely watched celebrity legal battles.
