Topline
Billionaire pop star Taylor Swift may be deposed in “It Ends With Us” stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s ongoing legal battle next month, according to a court filing from Baldoni’s lawyers—but in a dueling letter to the judge, Lively’s lawyers said there is no evidence Swift agreed to sit for a deposition.
Blake Lively’s lawyers said Friday there is no evidence Swift agreed to sit for a deposition. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
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Key Facts
In a letter to federal judge Lewis J. Liman, filed late Thursday night, Baldoni’s lawyers say Swift has “agreed to appear for deposition” during the week of Oct. 20 to Oct. 25.
The letter says Swift is unable to give her deposition prior to Oct. 20, citing “preexisting professional obligations.”
But on Friday afternoon, Lively’s lawyers disputed Baldoni’s claim and said there is no evidence Swift agreed to sit for a deposition, criticizing Baldoni’s lawyers for “repeatedly” seeking to “bring Ms. Swift into this litigation to fuel their relentless media strategy.”
If Swift sits for a late-October deposition, it would happen just weeks after her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” is released on Oct. 3.
Baldoni’s legal team attempted to subpoena Swift earlier this year to seek communications between Swift and Lively’s legal team, but dropped it in May after lawyers for both Swift and Lively filed motions objecting to the subpoena.
Following the subpoena, Swift’s spokesperson reportedly released a statement slamming it as “clickbait,” stating Swift “never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see ‘It Ends With Us’ until weeks after its public release.”
Forbes has reached out to Swift’s representatives for comment.
What Does Swift Have To Do With Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle?
Swift has long been friends with Lively and was alluded to in a lawsuit Baldoni had filed against Lively in January that accused his co-star of defamation and extortion, which has since been dismissed. Baldoni’s suit refers to Swift while describing an alleged instance in which Lively wanted to make writing contributions to a scene in “It Ends With Us.” Baldoni alleged Lively recruited a “megacelebrity friend,” whom his lawyers later confirmed is Swift, to meet with Baldoni, Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, to “pressure” Baldoni into accepting Lively’s script rewrites. The lawsuit includes texts shared between Lively and Baldoni, in which Baldoni says he likes Lively’s script edits but “would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor.” Lively then refers to the two as her “most trusted partners” and her “dragons,” comparing herself to Khaleesi from “Game of Thrones.” In a February interview with TMZ, Baldoni’s lawyer Bryan Freedman did not rule out that he could call on Swift to testify once the case heads to trial.
Key Background
Lively and Baldoni traded high-profile lawsuits between December and January, following apparent conflicts on the “It Ends With Us” film set. Months after fans noticed neither Baldoni nor Lively appeared with one another on the film’s press tour, Lively filed a civil complaint, and then a lawsuit in federal court, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliation and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni’s publicists and his Wayfair Studios production company are named as co-defendants. Baldoni, in response, sued the New York Times for libel over an article it published detailing an alleged smear campaign conducted by his publicists against Lively. He then sued Lively herself, accusing her of extortion, defamation and attempting to seize creative control of the movie. Both of Baldoni’s lawsuits have since been dismissed.
What To Watch For
Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni heads to trial on March 9.
Further Reading
Taylor Swift Excluded From Baldoni-Lively Narrative, as Subpoena Is Withdrawn (Variety)