Taylor Swift, meet the legal firestorm that just engulfed your movie adaptation of It Ends With Us. She’s been called to appear in a U.S. court on claims that she pressured filmmaker and actor Justin Baldoni into accepting script changes from actress Blake Lively. This move has been highly publicized in the media. It’s particularly wonderful because of the strong decades-long friendship between Swift and Lively that it represents.
In response, Lively filed a countersuit against Baldoni for defamation and for orchestrating a smear campaign. In retaliation, the summons has now been served. These new allegations tacitly extend the nature of Swift’s involvement in the film beyond just having her music—which is included on the soundtrack—featured in the film itself. Her song “My Tears Ricochet” is prominently featured, including in the trailer, and according to Swift’s people, she had nothing to do with the film’s creative direction or choice of casting.
Swift’s spokespeople have decried the subpoena as a long run for “tabloid clickbait.” They say it takes the focus away from the critical issues that deserve our attention. Their social media campaign belied their claim that Swift was not involved in any casting or creative decisions in the film. As they explained, “She never even stepped foot on the set, wasn’t involved in any casting, didn’t do the score for the film, and never watched any cut or provided any notes.”
Things got even hotter when Baldoni issued a provocative challenge. He said that at a 2023 production meeting at Lively’s residence in New York, both Swift and her confidant Ryan Reynolds were present to discuss new script directions. However, it is important to note that Swift did not view It Ends With Us until weeks after its release due to her global tour commitments.
According to People, Lively first brought up Swift in a congratulatory text to Baldoni. She closed by saying, “Once you get a chance to watch Game of Thrones, you’ll understand why I’m Khaleesi and just like her, I have a couple of dragons!” This lighthearted social media comment is a world away from the seriousness of the lawsuit now filed against Baldoni.
In addition, claims have circulated online that Swift personally intervened in the casting of Isabela Ferra, who played a younger version of Lively’s character. Ferrer additionally posted, “She [Taylor Swift] was a really inspiring a part of the audition, which I learned after I got it, and that shook my universe.” This language raises new questions about the extent of Swift’s claimed role in the project.
During press for the film, Baldoni has repeatedly commended the contributions of both Lively and Swift to the story. His excitement came through in simple but heartfelt comments: “This is something I really love, what you did. This is really helping and making everything more fun and interesting.” He continued that even absent Ryan and Taylor, he would still feel that way.
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