Taylor Swift will only sit for a deposition in the federal lawsuit between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni if a judge forces her to do so, her lawyer told a New York federal court on Friday, contradicting an assertion by Baldoni’s attorney that the pop star had agreed to be deposed.
In filings ahead of a hearing before U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, Baldoni’s lawyer, Ellyn S. Garofalo, asked the court to modify its scheduling order “for the sole purpose of accommodating third‑party witness Taylor Swift,” saying Swift had agreed to appear for a deposition during the week of Oct. 20–25 because of “preexisting professional obligations.” Swift’s attorney, J. Douglas Baldridge, responded that the singer “has no material role in this action” and did not agree to be deposed, but that she would comply only if the court ordered it.
The dispute centers on a request by Baldoni and his co‑defendants for a limited extension of the fact‑discovery cutoff to permit Swift’s testimony. Lively’s attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, urged Judge Liman to deny that request, saying Baldoni’s team had repeatedly sought to involve Swift to “fuel their relentless media strategy” and had “not come close to establishing good cause” for extending the discovery schedule. Gottlieb added that defendants contacted Swift’s counsel only days earlier and accused them of an “astounding” lack of diligence and disrespect for Swift’s privacy and schedule.
Garofalo said in court papers that Wayfarer Studios and Baldoni had sought only an agreement to take Swift’s deposition during a single week — roughly three weeks after the scheduled close of fact discovery — because other dates would conflict with her professional commitments. Baldridge told the court his team first learned of the proposed deposition three days before filing and reiterated that Swift would appear only if compelled by the court.
The exchange is the latest development in a high‑profile litigation stemming from the 2024 film It Ends With Us, which Baldoni produced and directed and in which he and Lively co‑star. Lively sued Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios in New York federal court last year, alleging she was sexually harassed on set and that Baldoni led a campaign to “destroy” her reputation. Baldoni counter‑sued; his defamation claim was dismissed in June.
Discovery has been contentious. In May, Baldoni’s lawyers issued subpoenas seeking messages between Lively and Swift, a move Swift’s lawyers described as an “unwarranted fishing expedition.” Those specific subpoenas were dropped after objections from Swift’s counsel, but in June Judge Liman ruled that communications between Lively and Swift about the film set’s environment are relevant and may be provided to Baldoni.
Swift’s proposed deposition window coincides with a busy period for the singer: she is scheduled to release her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on Oct. 3, a date she announced last month on her fiancé Travis Kelce’s podcast. Baldoni’s team said the Oct. 20–25 dates were the only ones Swift could accommodate; Lively’s counsel disputed that assertion and emphasized the proximity of the requested dates to the discovery cutoff.
The filings show continued acrimony between the parties over both procedural matters and public messaging. Lively’s lawyer argued that Baldoni’s effort to include Swift amounts to a bid to generate publicity for his defense, while Baldoni’s counsel described the request as limited and narrowly tailored to a single third‑party witness.
Judge Liman has not yet ruled on the request to extend the discovery schedule to permit Swift’s deposition. Until he does, Swift’s participation remains conditional: her lawyers say she will give testimony only if the court orders her to do so and only during the narrow dates they say she can accommodate.