Taylor Swift & Ryan Reynolds unfairly dragged by Justin Baldoni, says Blake Lively’s lawyer

Blake Lively’s attorney has sharply criticized the legal strategy of Justin Baldoni’s team for attempting to subpoena high-profile celebrities, including Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her close friend, Taylor Swift, in a sexual harassment case centered on the 2024 film It Ends With Us.

The case, set to go to trial on March 9, 2026, has already sparked significant media attention, and the involvement of major celebrities has further amplified the drama. Lively’s lawyer, Mike Gottlieb, expressed concerns over the relevance of such subpoenas, questioning their connection to the core issues of the case.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE on May 8, Gottlieb stated, “It’s completely unclear what claims or defenses, if any, these celebrities have any relevance to at all.” He was responding to reports suggesting that during the pretrial discovery period, anyone close to Lively or Baldoni, including Reynolds and Swift, could be called to testify. Gottlieb’s remarks reflect his dissatisfaction with what he perceives as an unnecessary escalation of celebrity involvement.

The legal conflict began when Blake Lively filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, alleging misconduct on the set of It Ends With Us. In response, Baldoni filed a USD 400 million defamation lawsuit, accusing Lively of attempting to ruin his reputation by portraying him as a “real-life villain” to deflect attention from her professional endorsements.

Baldoni’s team has suggested that Reynolds was involved in mocking Baldoni in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine, with reports indicating that a character named Nicepool in the movie was a “thinly veiled dig” at Baldoni. However, Reynolds and Marvel have denied these claims. Furthermore, court documents imply that Swift and Reynolds may have contributed ideas to a rooftop scene in It Ends With Us, based on text exchanges with Lively.

Gottlieb, however, dismissed these allegations, calling them irrelevant to the sexual harassment case. He stressed, “This is a case about what happened to Blake Lively when she raised claims of sexual harassment on the set. It’s not a case about how songs were chosen for the movie. It’s not a case about fictional Marvel characters in Deadpool movies.” Gottlieb emphasized that the attempt to subpoena celebrities could turn the trial into a media spectacle, warning that “the federal courts don’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”

In response, Bryan Freedman, Justin Baldoni’s lawyer, defended the subpoenas, stating that although Lively might feel uncomfortable with her friends' involvement, the truth should not be seen as a distraction. He further suggested that Lively had been the one to bring her high-profile friends into the situation and implied that Reynolds' role in the matter was more significant than previously acknowledged. Freedman also questioned whether Disney had been complicit in Reynolds using shareholder revenues to pursue a personal grudge.

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While Lively’s legal team is working to limit the celebrity involvement in the trial, Gottlieb confirmed that Lively herself is expected to testify. He added that other witnesses who were present during the alleged incidents on set would also provide testimony.

The legal battle has drawn attention not only for its high-profile nature but also for the larger issue of how sexual harassment allegations are handled in Hollywood. Lively’s team has been vocal in accusing Baldoni of attempting to shift blame onto her, with her representatives stating that Baldoni’s defense strategy amounts to “blaming the victim.” They argue that such tactics, often used in cases involving women, are desperate and will ultimately fail.

Meanwhile, Lively has continued with her professional commitments. Her latest film, Another Simple Favor, alongside Anna Kendrick and Michele Morrone, premiered on Prime Video on May 1, further fueling the public’s interest in the actress’ personal and professional life.

As the trial date approaches, the drama surrounding this case is expected to intensify. For now, all eyes are on the courtroom, where the focus will likely remain on the serious workplace harassment allegations against Baldoni and the broader conversation about accountability in the entertainment industry.