A federal judge has recently ruled against Justin Baldoni’s last-minute effort to depose Taylor Swift in a case involving Blake Lively’s allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation during the filming of the movie It Ends With Us. The ruling was issued by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman on Friday, who determined that Baldoni and his co-defendants at Wayfarer Studios had waited too long to request the deposition, thereby missing their opportunity.
While the judge denied Baldoni's request regarding Swift, he did grant a 10-day extension for Blake Lively to depose Baldoni and two other individuals involved in the case. Judge Liman noted that the defendants had procrastinated in producing the requested documents, which warranted additional time for Lively and her legal team to adequately prepare for the depositions.
In his order, Judge Liman emphasized that Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios failed to present “good cause” for a similar extension regarding Swift. “The only justification Baldoni and the Wayfarer parties have provided for the extension is their assertion that Swift’s preexisting professional obligations now prevent her from appearing for a deposition prior to October 20, 2025,” he stated. The judge pointed out that discovery has been ongoing for approximately six months, and Baldoni had previously sought to depose Swift in May 2025 but later withdrew the subpoena.
Following Baldoni’s attorney, Ellyn S. Garofalo, claiming that Swift had “agreed” to a deposition but could not appear before October 20, Swift's lawyer, J. Douglas Baldridge, intervened to clarify the situation. Baldridge asserted that Swift had never agreed to a deposition and informed Baldoni’s team that her schedule was too busy to accommodate such an appearance. Swift's commitments, including her engagement to Travis Kelce and the upcoming release of her album, The Life of a Showgirl, set to debut on October 3, have left her with a packed calendar.
Blake Lively, aged 38, is suing Baldoni, 41, and Wayfarer Studios, claiming that Baldoni subjected her to “disturbing” sexual harassment during the production of It Ends With Us. Lively alleges that the harassment included an unsettling incident during a slow dance scene where Baldoni improvised inappropriate behavior. According to Lively, he leaned in close and made an unwelcome remark about her scent.
Moreover, Lively claims Baldoni attempted to introduce a graphic sex scene into the film, suggesting that their characters should climax together on their wedding night. She further alleges that Baldoni intrusively inquired whether she and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, experienced simultaneous climaxes during intercourse.
Swift became involved in this legal battle when Baldoni filed a defamation lawsuit against Lively, which included claims that Swift was present during a critical meeting regarding script changes at Lively's Tribeca penthouse. This led to further complications in the ongoing litigation.
In a separate letter filed prior to the judge’s decision, one of Lively's lawyers criticized Baldoni's camp for their “astounding” lack of respect for Swift’s privacy and schedule. The lawyer urged the court to deny Baldoni's late deposition request, claiming that the defendants had shown a pattern of attempting to involve Swift in the litigation for media attention rather than genuine legal necessity.
“Ms. Swift is someone whose calendar should be presumed to be packed with professional obligations for months in advance,” Lively's lawyer, Michael J. Gottlieb, stated, emphasizing that the Wayfarer defendants could have initiated the deposition process earlier but chose not to, instead seeking to generate media hype.
Prior to this legal dispute, Taylor Swift and Blake Lively shared a close friendship, but the two have not been seen together in recent months. Baldoni has claimed that Swift supported Lively's changes to the movie script, citing a text from Lively referring to Swift and Reynolds as her “dragons.” This insinuated that Lively could rely on Swift’s influence to complicate matters for Baldoni.
The recent ruling by Judge Liman highlights the complexities of this high-profile case, underscoring the challenges faced by both Lively and Baldoni as they navigate legal proceedings. With Swift’s involvement now clarified, all eyes remain on the unfolding drama surrounding It Ends With Us.
