Justin Baldoni Accuses Blake Lively of Taylor Swift-Style 'Victim' Tactic in It Ends With Us Dispute

Justin Baldoni alleges that Blake Lively adopted a “victim” strategy during the production of It Ends With Us, likening it to the “Taylor Swift approach.”

According to documents acquired by Us Weekly on Thursday, December 4, Baldoni, aged 41, faced questions regarding his encounter with Lively, 38, during which she expressed various apprehensions about the It Ends With Us project.

“She possessed a significant threat,” Baldoni stated then, as per the documents. “Should she decline to promote the film, she could disseminate claims that I am a problematic individual or that she experienced discomfort with me, leveraging all the information she holds against me. This would position her as the aggrieved party. It mirrors the Taylor Swift strategy. Consequently, she can demand anything she desires, knowing I am aware of her leverage.”

In his testimony, Baldoni subsequently mused upon his mental state during that period.

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“I believe that when you are a lesser-known figure in the industry, as I am, and you're engaging with a formidable presence like Ms. Lively, alongside some of the globe's most influential individuals who are her closest companions, and you find yourself in my predicament, I find it quite justifiable, particularly now, to harbor worries about potential outcomes and limitations,” he conveyed. “My mind was racing at that juncture.”

Us Weekly contacted the representatives for Swift and Lively seeking their statements.

Reports emerged in December 2024 indicating that Lively initiated legal action against Baldoni for sexual harassment, asserting that his alleged conduct during filming caused her “profound emotional suffering.” In retaliation, Baldoni’s attorney contended that these allegations were “entirely untrue, scandalous, and deliberately sensationalized,” additionally claiming Lively's lawsuit aimed to “rectify her public image” and “reiterate a particular story” concerning the movie's making. Baldoni subsequently launched his own legal claim against Lively in January, which was subsequently thrown out in June.

Swift, for her part, has sought to disassociate herself from these legal proceedings. Following a subpoena issued to Swift, 35, by Baldoni’s legal team in May, a representative for the Eras Tour artist asserted that she “never visited the filming location of” It Ends With Us. The representative further stated that Swift was not involved in “casting or artistic choices,” beyond granting permission for her track “My Tears Ricochet” to be featured in the movie.

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“She was not involved in the film's musical composition, nor did she review any edits or provide feedback on the movie,” her spokesperson informed Us in May. “She did not even view It Ends With Us until several weeks following its theatrical debut, and spent 2023 and 2024 touring internationally, leading the most extensive tour ever.”

Her representative further remarked, “Considering her sole contribution was licensing a song for the movie, a role shared by 19 other musicians, this subpoena for documents is intended to exploit Taylor Swift’s celebrity to generate media attention through sensational headlines, rather than concentrating on the actual merits of the lawsuit.”

Notwithstanding Baldoni’s endeavors, Judge Lewis J. Liman rejected his bid to depose Swift, citing that it would exceed the stipulated timeframe. In November, Us discovered that Swift's name appeared on a roster provided by Lively’s legal counsel as a possible witness for the trial. Both Lively and Baldoni are anticipated to give evidence during the proceedings, which are provisionally scheduled for March 2026.