Taylor Swift can be deposed in October if compelled, but her lawyer told a New York federal judge that the singer has no material role in the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit Blake Lively brought against Justin Baldoni and therefore has little to offer in the case.
In a letter filed Friday, Swift’s attorney, J. Douglas Baldridge, said the singer "did not agree to a deposition, but if she is forced into a deposition, we advised (after first hearing about the deposition just three days ago) that her schedule would accommodate the time required during the week of October 20 if the parties were able to work out their disputes." Baldridge wrote that his client "has no material role in this action."
Lively sued Baldoni in December, alleging sexual harassment related to their work on the 2024 film "It Ends With Us," and later added claims of retaliation. Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, countersued Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, alleging defamation and extortion. A judge dismissed Baldoni’s counterclaims in June.
Attorneys for both sides have sparred over when and whether Swift should be questioned. Matthew Bruno, representing Lively, complained in a separate letter that it was "grossly irresponsible to delay scheduling the deposition of a witness of this kind until the last minute," arguing that a late-October deposition and ensuing delays could jeopardize a March trial date. Bruno said Lively’s team did not consent to depositions of third parties "with only tangential relevance to the claims or defenses in this case" after the close of fact discovery.
Baldoni’s lawyers said in a letter Thursday that they were not seeking a month-long extension of deadlines to interview prospective witnesses but only sought to depose Swift. They said Swift could appear only between Oct. 20 and Oct. 25 "due to Ms. Swift's pre-existing professional obligations" and indicated she had agreed to appear during that window.
Lively’s complaint says Baldoni and Wayfarer embarked on a "multi-tiered plan" to damage her reputation following a meeting in which she and Reynolds addressed what she described as "repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior" by Baldoni. When Baldoni’s countersuit was dismissed, his attorney Bryan Freedman released a statement saying Lively’s claims of harassment and a subsequent smear campaign were "no truer today than they were yesterday."
"It Ends With Us," adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel, was released in August 2024 and exceeded box office expectations with a $50 million debut. The film, which begins as a romance and turns to themes of domestic violence, has been accompanied in public coverage by speculation about discord among its principal actors and producers.
Lively rose to prominence in the mid-2000s with roles in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and the television series "Gossip Girl," and later appeared in films including "The Town" and "The Shallows." Baldoni is known for his lead role on the television series "Jane the Virgin," directing the 2019 film "Five Feet Apart," and for his nonfiction book "Man Enough."
The dispute over Swift’s deposition is the latest procedural fight in the litigation as the parties seek to complete fact discovery and preserve their respective positions ahead of trial. Swift’s counsel emphasized her limited connection to the underlying claims while Lively’s team urged prompt scheduling to avoid disruption to the court’s timetable.