Just call her Drogon.
Taylor Swift is seemingly getting name-dropped in the ongoing legal dispute between her longtime friend, Blake Lively, and Lively’s It Ends With Us costar and director, Justin Baldoni. The latter’s lawsuit dropped on Thursday and included text messages between Lively and Baldoni, in which Lively seemingly alludes to Swift as “one of her dragons” while likening herself to Game of Thrones‘ Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi.
The lawsuit, which Entertainment Weekly has reviewed, was also filed on behalf of Baldoni’s film studio, Wayfarer, and its chief executive, Jamey Heath, a producer on the film, and requests at least $400 million in damages. In it, Baldoni alleges defamation, civil extortion, and breach of contract, among other accusations.
Swift is neither named as a defendant in the lawsuit, nor mentioned by full name in the filing beyond a reference to “Taylor” in a text message sent by Baldoni to Lively, but the Grammy-winning superstar is nevertheless seemingly mentioned several times in reference to supporting one of Lively’s rewrites for the romantic drama film. Here’s how.
According to the suit, Lively allegedly asked to “take a pass” on the movie’s pivotal rooftop scene, where her character Lily Bloom meets Baldoni’s Ryle Kincaid for the first time. It claims that at some point Lively summoned Baldoni to her New York penthouse, where he was greeted by Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, who “launched into enthusiastic praise” for his wife’s vision. Then, it claims, “Hours later, as the meeting was ending, a famous, and famously close, friend of Reynolds and Lively, walked into the room and similarly began praising Lively’s script. Baldoni understood the subtext: he needed to comply with Lively’s direction for the script.”
Blake Lively (L) and Taylor Swift are seen in Lower East Side on December 13, 2023 in New York City. Gotham/GC Images
In a text message attached to this part of the suit, Baldoni allegedly wrote to Lively, “Also was working on rooftop scene today, I really love what you did. It really does hep a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor) You really are a talent across the board. Really excited nd grateful to do this together.”
According to the complaint, in a text from Lively to Baldoni, the actress then references Reynolds and another person, presumably Swift, as being “absolute titans as writers and storytellers outside of their primary gig – just singing or just acting or [redacted] just directing, I’m so lucky to have them as creative barometers. ” Lively continues, “They also know I’m not always as good at making sure I’m seen and utilized for fear of threatening egos, or fear of affecting the ease of the process. They don’t give a shit about that. And because of that, everyone listens to them with immense respect and enthusiasm. So I guess I have to stop worrying about people liking me.”
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Lively then closes out the lengthy response by likening herself to Emilia Clarke’s Game of Thrones character, writing, “If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones, you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons. For better or worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in ‘It Ends With Us’. Nicole Rivelli/Sony
The complaint claims this message “could not have been clearer. Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively’s ‘dragons,’ two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.”
A rep for Swift did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment Thursday. EW has also reached out to Lively’s team for additional comment.
Baldoni’s suit comes after Lively filed her own lawsuit against Baldoni and Wayfarer after she filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department late last month, in which she accused her costar and director of sexual harassment on set and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has since also filed a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, who first reported Lively’s allegations.
