Taylor Swift subpoenaed in Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni legal showdown

Taylor Swift has been subpoenaed in the case between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.

Swift — a longtime friend of Lively’s — was first mentioned in connection with the ongoing legal dispute between Lively and her director and co-star in “It Ends with Us,” when text message exchanges included the name “Taylor” as part of Baldoni’s $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds in January, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

One of the text messages included in Baldoni's costume appears to show an exchange between Baldoni and Lively regarding the film's script: "I really like what you did. It helps a lot. It makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would feel this way without Ryan and Taylor)," Baldoni wrote with a winking emoji. "You are truly a talent in every way. I'm so excited and grateful that we're doing this together."

A Swift spokesperson told CNN: “Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this film, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not provide music for the film, she did not see any editing or make any notes on the film, she did not even see the film 'It Ends With Us' until a few weeks after its release and traveled the world throughout 2023 and 2024.”

"Taylor's connection to this film was the permission to use a song, 'My Tears Ricochet.' Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift's name to attract public interest by creating tabloid publicity rather than focusing on the facts of the case," the spokesperson added.

CNN has reached out to Baldoni's representatives for comment.

When contacted for comment later Friday, a spokesperson for Lively said that Baldoni and his legal team "continue to turn a sexual harassment and retaliation case into tabloid entertainment."

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation in a complaint initially filed with the California Department of Civil Rights in December, which preceded a lawsuit that followed about a week later. She also alleged that Baldoni, along with his PR reps, orchestrated a “social media manipulation campaign” to damage her reputation in the media while promoting “It Ends with Us,” their 2024 film at the center of the dispute.