Taylor Swift may not be excluded from this narrative after all, and neither will Hugh Jackman.
In the ongoing legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, various media sources claim that two of Lively’s and her husband Ryan Reynolds’s close friends might receive subpoenas.
Months have passed since Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, hinted at whether Taylor Swift might be required to testify in the ongoing legal dispute between the director and the actress from “Gossip Girl.
On the TMZ’s Two Angry Men podcast, Freedman stated in February that it’s uncertain whether we will remove Taylor Swift or not. He believes this call might depend on the situation at hand and could potentially be made during the event itself.
Instead, Freedman underscored that Baldoni’s legal team was determined to explore every possible angle in response to his $400 million countersuit against Lively, Reynolds, and their publicist. (Lively, who has filed a lawsuit against Baldoni for mental distress, emotional harm, and lost income, recently requested to drop the case, with Reynolds and their publicist also submitting motions to be released from it.)
Freedman stated, “Anyone who reasonably possesses information useful for providing evidence in this case will be questioned under oath (deposition). In other words, it’s a given.
Although neither Swift nor Jackman are directly involved in the legal disputes between Lively and Baldoni, a subpoena could compel them to participate in the court proceedings. Jackman hasn’t been mentioned in the lawsuits, but Swift’s name was brought up in an alleged text conversation between Baldoni and Lively, which is part of the lawsuit filed by Baldoni in January.
In a different wording, “Baldoni expressed his deep appreciation for your work on the script revisions for It Ends With Us, stating, ‘I would have admired it just the same even without Ryan and Taylor.’
In subsequent records, Baldoni additionally claimed that Lively implied a subtle warning about Swift’s song “My Tears Ricochet” being utilized in the film and its promotional material through an executive.
Or:
Later on, Baldoni also stated that Lively insinuated a discreet threat regarding Swift’s song “My Tears Ricochet” featuring in the movie and its trailer, using an executive.
According to the document, the “threat” suggested that Lively could potentially reconsider contacting Taylor Swift to obtain the rights to “My Tears Ricochet” for the trailer, if her conditions aren’t fulfilled.
Four months following the cinema release of Colleen Hoover’s book “It Ends With Us”, Blake Lively submitted a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) against Justin Baldoni, his associates, and their respective companies on December 20th, as reported by The New York Times.
The defendants named in the complaint obtained by TopMob News include Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios (Wayfarer), its CEO Jamey Heath, its cofounder Steve Sarowitz, Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel and her company RWA Communications, crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan and her company The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG), contractor Jed Wallace and his company Street Relations Inc.
According to the complaint, Lively alleged that Baldoni and Wayfarer associates launched a calculated press and digital campaign in retaliation for expressing concerns about purported misconduct on set. She claimed that she and other cast and crew members endured invasive, unwelcome, unprofessional, and sexually inappropriate behavior by Baldoni and Heath.
Lively further stated that this alleged campaign caused significant harm to her personally and professionally. The accusations made in the complaint encompass sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate, prevent, or remedy harassment; aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, false light invasion of privacy, and interference with prospective economic advantage.
The following day, The New York Times released an article detailing a supposed counterattack smear operation that Baldoni and his colleagues were accused of executing against Lively, based on her CRD complaint. In the publication, excerpts from messages sent by Baldoni, his publicist Abel, crisis communications specialist Nathan, and others involved in the complaint were featured. The newspaper’s website also made the related court documents accessible for readers to peruse.
Lively shared her thoughts with the outlet, stating, “I hope my legal action will help unveil these underhanded retaliatory maneuvers intended to discredit those who speak up about misconduct, and safeguard others who might be subjected to similar treatment.”
—Reporting by Sara Ouerfelli
Following the disclosure of Lively’s complaint, Bryan Freedman—lawyer for Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives—vehemently refuted Lively’s accusations. In a statement on The New York Times website, he stated that it was regrettable that Lively and her team would make such grave and untrue allegations against Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and their representatives as an attempt to improve Lively’s tarnished reputation, which resulted from her own statements and actions during the campaign for the film; interviews and press activities that were public, real-time, and uncensored, allowing for widespread online commentary. He further stated that these claims are entirely false, excessively sensational, and deliberately salacious with the intention to harm publicly and perpetuate a media narrative.
Freedman also justified Wayfarer’s decision to engage a crisis manager, stating that this was done prior to the marketing campaign of the movie. Later, he added that the representatives of Wayfarer Studios took no proactive measures nor retaliated, only responding to incoming media inquiries to ensure balanced and accurate reporting and monitoring of social activity. Notably absent from the selectively presented correspondence is evidence that there were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal strategy planning and private communication, which is standard practice among public relations professionals.
After the publication of an article by The New York Times on December 21, talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME) terminated its relationship with Baldoni. Ari Emanuel, CEO of WME’s parent company Endeavor, confirmed this to the outlet. However, it is important to note that WME denies Ryan Reynolds, Lively’s husband and also a client of WME, had any role in the separation between the agency and Baldoni. This allegation was made by Baldoni in his subsequent lawsuit against The New York Times (more details on that below). In response to this, WME clarified to The Hollywood Reporter on January 1 that Baldoni’s claim about Reynolds pressuring Baldoni’s agent at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere is untrue. They further stated that Baldoni’s former representative was not present at the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere, and there was no pressure from Reynolds or Lively at any time to drop Baldoni as a client.
After Lively’s CRD filing and an article in The New York Times, several well-known personalities expressed their support for her accusations against Baldoni. Among them was the author of ‘It Ends With Us’, Hoover.
On Instagram Stories on December 21st, Hoover wrote, “Blake Lively, you have always been truthful, kind, supportive, and patient since I met you. Thank you for being exactly who you are. Never change. Never wilt.”
Jenny Slate, who played Baldoni’s sister in the series, also showed her solidarity with Lively. On December 23rd, she said in a statement to Today, “As Blake Lively’s castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation.” She added, “Blake is a leader, loyal friend, and a trusted source of emotional support for many who know and love her. What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.”
Brandon Sklenar, a love interest for Lively’s character Lily Bloom, shared a link to The New York Times article and wrote, “For the love of God, read this.”
Lastly, Lively’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn expressed their solidarity with her.
Liz Plank recently shared on Instagram that she is stepping down from her co-hosting role on “The Man Enough Podcast”. In her post, she expressed gratitude for the trust, heartfelt stories, and community created during her time there. Although she did not disclose the reason behind her departure, it occurred shortly after a complaint against her co-host and Wayfarer associates by Lively. Plank assured her followers that she remains committed to the values they built together and looks forward to sharing more as she processes the situation. She also vowed to continue supporting those who call out injustice and hold accountable those standing in their way.
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but feel a pang of concern upon learning about the lawsuit filed by Stephanie Jones, my beloved publicist of yesteryears, and her agency Jonesworks LLC against my idol Eric Baldoni, his company Wayfarer, his current publicist Abel, and crisis communications specialist Nathan in New York on Christmas Eve.
The lawsuit, as reported by NBC News, accuses the defendants of a secretive, months-long conspiracy to tarnish Jones’s reputation and breach contracts. They are alleged to have coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to launch a malicious smear campaign against Baldoni’s film co-star, using the ensuing crisis as an opportunity to sow discord between Jones and Baldoni, and to shift blame for this smear campaign onto Jones, who was completely unaware of it.
Interestingly, Abel, whose LinkedIn profile states she worked at Jonesworks until last summer, is accused of continuing to falsely implicate Jones now that their own misconduct is being exposed. The lawsuit also alleges that they have defamed and attacked her within the industry.
Baldoni and Wayfarer, who are no longer Jonesworks’ clients, are accused of breaching their contractual obligations with Jonesworks and turning down Jones’s attempts to resolve this dispute privately through arbitration.
I reached out to the defendants for comment but haven’t heard back yet.
In an interview with Variety on December 23, Lively’s legal team stated that they acquired the texts discussed in The New York Times article through a subpoena sent to Jonesworks. Freedman, who represents Nathan, Abel, Baldoni, and their Wayfarer associates, further explained to the outlet that none of his clients were subpoenaed regarding this matter. He also expressed his intention to file a lawsuit against Jones for disclosing messages from Abel’s phone to Lively’s legal team.
Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace and Street Relations filed a lawsuit against The New York Times Dec. 31.
In the lawsuit obtained by TopMob News, The New York Times is accused of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud and breach of implied-in-fact contract for its article about a retaliatory smear campaign the plaintiffs allegedly conducted against Lively after she voiced concerns about purported misconduct on set.
Saying the report was “false” and based on Lively’s CRD complaint, the plaintiffs denied the accusations and alleged messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context.
“Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative,” the lawsuit says, “lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”
They also allege “it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign.” She has denied this.
The New York Times said it plans to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” it stated to TopMob. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”
On the same day, Lively initiated a legal action against Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, It Ends With Us Movie LLC, Nathan, his company TAG, and Abel in New York. The court records obtained by TopMob News reveal that she is accusing the defendants of sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, false light invasion of privacy, and aiding and abetting these actions.
The accusations against the defendants were initially outlined in the CRD complaint Lively filed earlier that month. In response to this lawsuit, Baldoni and his associates have counter-sued _The New York Times_ (which does not name Lively as a defendant). Lively’s lawyers responded to TopMob by stating that “the claims in this lawsuit are consistent with those made in her CRD and federal complaints.”
They further stated, “Contrary to the false premise suggested in the Wayfarer lawsuit, Ms. Lively’s administrative complaint against Wayfarer and others was not a strategic decision to avoid suing Baldoni. As demonstrated by the federal complaint filed today by Ms. Lively, this assertion is unfounded.
In the legal action brought by Baldoni and his colleagues against The New York Times, they have indicated that their actions are not yet concluded. According to the court papers, there are more individuals who acted improperly, and it’s important to note that this will not be the only lawsuit they initiate. In a January 2 interview with NBC News, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman confirmed they intend to pursue legal action against Lively as well.
The chatter about Baldoni and Lively hasn’t ended yet. For example, some social media users have suggested that Reynolds may have teased Baldoni in his film “Deadpool & Wolverine” through the character Nicepool.
Reynolds has not spoken out on these speculations; however, Baldoni’s attorney Freedman expressed his thoughts.
“To me, it seems if your wife is sexually harassed, you don’t make light of Justin Baldoni,” Freedman stated during an interview on “The Megyn Kelly Show”, available on YouTube as of Jan 7. “You don’t joke about the situation. You treat it seriously. You file complaints and follow legal procedures. What you definitely don’t do is ridicule the person and turn it into a jest.
Ms. Lively’s legal team asserts that the events following her lawsuit against Wayfarer and its associates are not merely disputes or misunderstandings, but rather unlawful retaliation. Since filing the lawsuit, they claim there have been further attempts to attack Lively. They emphasize that sexual harassment and retaliation are illegal in all workplaces and industries. The team warns against tactics such as blaming the victim or suggesting the offender is actually the one being wronged, which they say are common strategies to divert attention from misconduct allegations. Lastly, they clarify that media statements do not serve as a defense for Lively’s claims, and they will be presenting their case in court.
On January 16th in New York, Baldoni, Heath, Wayfarer, publicist Abel, crisis communication specialist Nathan, and It Ends With Us Movie LLC filed a lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, Leslie Sloane (publicist), and Vision PR. The suit alleges that all defendants have committed civil extortion, defamation, and false light invasion of privacy. Lively and Reynolds are additionally accused of breaching the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relations, economic advantage, and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage.
The plaintiffs deny Lively’s claims of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign against her. They also allege that she seized control of It Ends With Us and collaborated with Reynolds, Sloane, Jones, and others to harm the plaintiffs’ reputation in the media after facing criticism for promoting the film (Lively claims she promoted the movie according to Sony’s marketing plan).
As a dedicated follower, I’m sharing that in a legal action, it’s claimed that the defendants collaborated with The New York Times to release a sensational yet untrue news piece. The outlet maintains its report’s accuracy. In response to TopMob, Freedman stated, “Blake Lively appears to have been either significantly deceived by her team or deliberately misled about the truth.
Lively’s legal team referred to his lawsuit as “just another tactic in an abuser’s manual,” explaining in a statement to TopMob News, “This scenario is all too familiar: A woman presents clear evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the perpetrator attempts to shift blame onto the victim. This strategy is often known as DARVO – Deny allegations, Attack the accuser, Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender.
Additionally, she claimed he responded by counterattacking after she levied accusations towards him. In other words, she stated that Baldoni is attempting to divert attention from the fact that Lively took creative control and reportedly estranged the cast from Mr. Baldoni.
It was further stated,” it went on, “that the cast and others had encountered unfavorable interactions with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer. Moreover, the evidence will demonstrate that Sony entrusted Ms. Lively to manage Sony’s portion of the film, which they subsequently chose for distribution and turned out to be a significant hit.
Her team went on to slam Baldoni’s reaction to her allegations of harassment.
In a nutshell, the defendants’ argument regarding sexual harassment accusations is that she invited it and bears responsibility. They justify her ordeal by pointing to her attire, as stated by her legal team. Essentially, while the victim concentrates on the mistreatment, the offender focuses on the victim herself. This tactic of blaming the woman is a last-ditch effort, does not disprove the evidence presented in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and will ultimately fall flat.
In simpler terms, Baldoni’s lawyer shared unseen footage from the movie set of “It Ends With Us“, stating that the actor’s behavior in the video contradicts Ms. Lively’s portrayal of him.
According to Baldoni’s lawyers, the particular sequence was intended to depict the two characters developing feelings for each other and yearning for closeness. It is evident that both actors are portraying their roles appropriately within the context of the scene, maintaining a level of respect and professionalism throughout.
In their view, the video fully supports the account given by Ms. Lively in her lawsuit, as it appears that all scenes were spontaneously created by Mr. Baldoni without any prior discussions or agreement.
As an ardent fan, I can’t help but share my observations from that video: it appears Miss Lively was subtly distancing herself and persistently urging the characters to engage in a conversation rather than their usual antics. This scene resonates deeply with me, as any woman who has experienced workplace discomfort due to inappropriate touching can attest, it mirrors Miss Lively’s evident unease.
In their ongoing case, the couple wrote to the presiding judge, asking for Freedman, the lead attorney from Baldoni’s team, to be subjected to a restraining order on speech, as they wanted to prevent any inappropriate behavior during the legal process.
Online, a seven-minute voice recording supposedly sent by Baldoni to Lively during the production of “It Ends With Us” was made public. In this recording, it seems that Baldoni discussed the movie’s rooftop scene, which Lively had rewritten, and mentioned a meeting with Reynolds and their friend, Taylor Swift, where these changes were presented to him.
He said to Lively, “It’s great to have friends as remarkable and innovative as them, not just because they’re among the most creative individuals globally. The trio of you is simply amazing, beyond belief.
In the recording, Baldoni appeared to express regret and an apology to the actress for not responding favorably to her script, stating, “I made a mistake. Here’s something important about me: I will acknowledge my mistakes and offer an apology when I fall short.
Approximately a month following the submission of Lively’s legal complaint against Baldoni, a trial date was established on March 9, 2026, by the court.
According to reports from TopMob News, Baldoni’s legal team has updated their counter-suit filed in the U.S. District Court against Lively, Reynolds, and Sloane on January 16th, now including The New York Times as well.
In the revised paperwork, Baldoni alleged that Lively and her associates conspired for several months, spreading misinformation to the New York Times.
In a distinct case, independent from the $250 million lawsuit filed against the NYT, accusations were made claiming that the newspaper selectively chose and manipulated certain communications, removing important context, and intentionally edited them in a way that was deceptive.
Baldoni established a website that features details about his lawsuit against Lively, which includes the initial amended complaint submitted by his legal team on January 31st. Additionally, it contains a chronology of significant events. Within this timeline document, there are reported screenshots of text conversations between Lively, Reynolds, and Baldoni that were shared.
The website was unveiled a month following Freedman’s announcement that they intended to publish all text messages exchanged between the two parties.
As a die-hard enthusiast, I’m yearning for the truth to be openly disclosed, just as Baldoni’s legal representative conveyed to NBC News during our January 2 conversation. I long for the release of those crucial documents. I believe that when people are presented with the evidence – the receipts – they can make their own informed decisions.
Lawyers for Lively submitted a revised lawsuit statement, stating that two additional female crew members from the set of “It Ends” had expressed discomfort due to Baldoni’s conduct on set.
TopMob News obtained a complaint stating that Ms. Lively wasn’t the only one expressing concerns about Mr. Baldoni. The complaint, dating back to May 2023, records similar experiences from Ms. Lively and others. Notably, contrary to the Defendants’ constructed storyline, Mr. Baldoni admitted these complaints in writing at the time. He was aware that multiple women, including Ms. Lively, felt uncomfortable with his behavior.
In my fervent passion for the truth, I found myself compelled to make an amended complaint, one that didn’t reveal the identities of two crucial witnesses I had mentioned. The reason behind this secrecy was not a whim, but a sobering response to the ominous climate of threats, harassment, and intimidation that seemed to be stirred up by the Defendants’ relentless retaliation campaign.
In an interview with TopMob, Freedman criticized the accusation as being based on “flimsy second-hand information” and claimed that those who could verify the allegations are now unwilling to do so or back her statements in public.
Following Baldoni’s claims that Sloane spread “harmful tales” painting him as a “predator” and coordinating a “defamation scheme” under Lively’s guidance, Sloane requested to be removed from the ongoing legal proceedings by filing a motion for dismissal.
According to documents obtained by TopMob News, Sloane’s lawyer claimed that there was no valid reason for the charges brought against their client and that she was unfairly involved in the lawsuit as part of a “distraction tactic,” intended to divert attention from Lively’s allegations.
Nick Shapiro, who previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the CIA, was recruited by Lively to provide counsel on the legal communication strategy for a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit ongoing in the Southern District of New York. This information was shared by a team member from Willkie Farr & Gallagher with Variety on February 28th.
Previously employed by the CIA during the Obama administration from 2013 to 2015, Shapiro subsequently served as Visa’s vice president for global security and communications, followed by Airbnb’s global head of crisis management. After spending three years at the rental company, he established his own consulting firm, 10th Avenue Consulting LLC.
In response to a $400 million lawsuit that also involves Lively, Baldoni, and Sloane, The New York Times has requested to be removed as a party in court papers we’ve obtained from TopMob News, since they are currently engaged in a separate $250 million lawsuit with Baldoni.
In their submission, the newspaper contended that Baldoni’s team was spinning a one-sided story that has attracted significant media attention, but emphasized that “The Times” should not be involved in this particular disagreement.
In response to The New York Times’ motion to dismiss, U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman has approved their demand for a temporary halt in the discovery process, as reported by TopMob News based on obtained documents.
The court’s decision to temporarily suspend the exchange of information or documents between parties, as per the request in the newspaper’s motion filed on February 28th, has been granted by the judge. He is currently reviewing the motion.
In the March 4 document, Liman expressed the viewpoint that the New York Times has provided “solid reasons” and made a “convincing argument” suggesting that their motion to dismiss could be granted based on its merits.
Additionally, the judge expressed his viewpoint that during the court’s consideration of the pending motion, Baldoni’s legal team should not unfairly suffer a disadvantage by the court’s decision to delay proceedings with a stay.
In response to TopMob News, a representative from the New York Times commented on the recent ruling, stating, “We are grateful for today’s court decision, which acknowledges the significant First Amendment principles involved. The court has now prevented Mr. Baldoni from overwhelming The Times with discovery requests in a case that lacked merit and should never have been filed.
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