Messages filed in Blake Lively’s case against director Justin Baldoni detail a candid back-and-forth and new pressure points around the hit film’s aftermath.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — Newly unsealed text messages between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively, filed in court as part of Lively’s lawsuit against her “It Ends With Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni, offer a rare look at the friends’ private conversations and how they navigated a high-profile dispute. The records were made public this week as a judge lifted seals on exhibits ahead of scheduled hearings.
Why it matters: The messages arrive at a pivotal stage in a legal fight that has gripped Hollywood since Lively accused Baldoni of harassment and retaliation tied to the 2024–25 production and rollout of the film adaptation of “It Ends With Us.” The texts show Swift and Lively discussing a “shift” in their friendship, moments of support, and concerns about publicity swirling around the movie. Their exchanges, now part of the case file, help anchor a timeline of behind-the-scenes tensions while lawyers position for trial later this spring.
The newly public exhibits include messages dated in late 2024 and into 2025, when the film’s post-production and promotional campaign drew intense scrutiny. In one December 2024 exchange, Lively apologizes for feeling “distant” and “digitally paranoid,” according to the filing, and Swift replies that she sensed a change but wanted to resolve it directly. Other messages reference stress around editing decisions and public reaction to the film’s subject matter. A person familiar with the filings said the court released the threads in bulk this week along with emails and deposition excerpts tied to the dispute. “We talk like sisters, and sometimes you hear harder truths from a sister,” Lively wrote in one message, according to the exhibit. Swift, in another exchange, encourages clearer boundaries and reassures Lively that the friendship would steady, the records show.
The documents also capture how the two stars reacted to reports about the production and to criticism of Lively’s press-tour conduct. Several texts reference the creative tug-of-war around the cut of the movie and later public statements from supporters and detractors. Records name additional celebrities who weighed in privately or publicly as the controversy widened. What remains unknown in the exhibits is the full context of every line — some timestamps are redacted and portions of threads are missing — but the overall arc shows the pair checking in on each other while lawyers and publicists traded filings. One set of messages shows Swift expressing fatigue with the constant noise around the project; another shows Lively saying she was trying to keep work decisions separate from friendship.
The case file places the messages alongside declarations, hearing transcripts and scheduling orders that chart the legal road so far. Lively has alleged that after she raised concerns about set conduct and post-production decisions, she faced retaliation and a smear campaign; Baldoni has denied wrongdoing and previously pursued counterclaims that were later dismissed. A federal judge in New York has managed key portions of the dispute, and the court this month unsealed dozens of exhibits ahead of arguments. Lawyers for both sides have used the texts to reinforce their narratives: Lively’s team says the exchanges show good-faith outreach and concern; Baldoni’s side has pointed to harsher lines in the threads to argue the two friends were rallying support as allegations loomed. Neither Swift nor Lively has filed an affidavit about the messages themselves in the current round of motions, according to the docket reviewed by reporters.
Context for readers of court records: Text releases like these are common when judges weigh summary-judgment claims or set trial ground rules. The latest batch lands after months of back-and-forth over subpoenas and depositions related to communications between the two friends. Earlier court orders allowed parties limited access to certain messages, and the judge has warned lawyers against using filings to “promote public scandal.” The film at the center of the dispute—based on Colleen Hoover’s best-seller—was a major box-office draw, and debate over its handling of domestic-violence themes amplified interest in the off-screen battle. Separate filings include commentary from co-stars and industry figures who either defended Lively’s creative choices or criticized the production environment.
Procedurally, the case is moving toward a spring trial date, with pretrial conferences and motion hearings scheduled in the coming weeks. The court’s unsealing order suggests more exhibits could surface as attorneys refine witness lists and evidentiary disputes. Lively’s lawyers say she will testify about the production and its aftermath; Baldoni’s team plans to contest her claims and challenge the relevance of celebrity communications. The judge has signaled that any testimony from nonparties will be narrowly tailored, and that the courtroom, not social media, will decide what the evidence shows. Additional rulings on expert reports and admissibility of the text messages are expected before jury selection.
Outside court, the disclosures have drawn swift reaction from fans and commentators. Some praised the messages for modeling direct communication between friends under pressure. Others questioned why private correspondence needed to be public at all. Outside the courthouse after a recent hearing, Lively’s attorney said the texts reflected “two people trying to protect a friendship while navigating a very public workplace dispute.” A representative for Baldoni said the defense would “address sensationalized snippets” at trial. Representatives for Swift and Lively did not immediately respond to new questions about the filings, but Swift has been photographed alongside Lively at public events since the period covered by the texts, underscoring that the pair remain in contact.
As of Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, the messages remain part of the public docket, and the case is on track for a spring trial with additional filings due in the near term. More exhibits could be unsealed before the next hearing, offering a fuller picture of who said what and when inside a friendship now preserved in a case file.
Author note: Last updated January 24, 2026.