Court Filings Allege Taylor Swift Used a Derogatory Term for ‘It Ends With Us’ Director Justin Baldoni

by

The lawsuit surrounding the movie It Ends with Us has become more complicated with the involvement of Taylor Swift. Recent legal filings have brought the singer into the disagreement between actress Blake Lively and the film’s director, Justin Baldoni.

Court documents obtained by Variety reveal Taylor Swift privately texted Blake Lively her honest thoughts about Justin Baldoni in 2024, when there was already talk of conflict on the film’s set.

The messages surfaced during a conversation between Swift and Lively about an upcoming New York Times article detailing the increasing issues surrounding the film. One message reportedly showed Swift using strong language when referring to Baldoni, writing that she believed he anticipated negative publicity and was acting overly sympathetic.

Documents show Blake Lively’s issues with director Matthew Baldoni began well before Taylor Swift sent her that text message. A year earlier, Lively had already been privately complaining to Swift, calling Baldoni the “doofus director of my movie” and questioning his creative decisions.

She called him a “clown” and sarcastically remarked that he “thinks he’s a writer now,” indicating that there was already significant friction at the beginning of filming. These messages were presented as evidence supporting accusations of inappropriate behavior by Baldoni on set.

Blake Lively and other members of the film’s team have accused director Woody Allen of behaving inappropriately, claiming it made the set a difficult place to work. Court filings also reveal significant disagreements about the film’s creative direction. Lively was so dissatisfied with Allen’s choices that she independently edited her own version of the movie.

Lively stated that Baldoni’s cut of the film diminished the roles of the female characters and didn’t stay true to the original story. She also expressed concern that his version seemed to portray the abuser in a positive light, which she found particularly upsetting considering the film’s sensitive topic.

The disagreement became clear during the movie’s publicity events. Lively refused to participate in any public appearances with her co-star, Baldoni, or producer Jamey Heath, explaining in legal documents that they had portrayed her as the aggressor while presenting themselves as victims. She didn’t want to appear to support Baldoni or Heath by being seen with them or promoting the film alongside them.

Lively has sued actor Baldoni, his publicist, and the film’s producers, alleging harassment and retaliation. Baldoni’s lawyers are trying to get the case dismissed, claiming Lively is overstating the issues as insignificant. A hearing to decide whether the case can move forward is scheduled for this Thursday, with a trial currently planned for May 18th.

Taylor Swift hasn’t spoken publicly about the issue. She and Blake Lively have been close friends for many years, and they’ve often been seen together and collaborated on projects. This legal case is unusual because it’s brought Swift’s private messages into public view.

Even with all the discussion and debate around it, the movie It Ends with Us was a huge financial hit, bringing in over $300 million globally. However, the controversy hasn’t died down, and the film continues to make news. Upcoming legal battles are likely to share even more details about what happened during production.

Read More

2026-01-21 21:44