Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni: The Scandal That’s Pulling in Taylor Swift and a New Lawsuit.

The drama surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni keeps unfolding at an astonishing pace, with new lawsuits, shocking revelations, and even Taylor Swift’s name being dragged into the chaos. If you thought this Hollywood saga couldn’t get any messier—think again.

From allegations of manipulation to legal battles over defamation, this feud is quickly spiraling into what some are calling the next Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial.

And now, with Taylor Swift reportedly stepping back from her friendship with Lively, things are reaching a breaking point.

So, let’s break it all down.

Taylor Swift Distances Herself from Blake Lively?

One of the biggest bombshells to drop recently is the apparent strain between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift.

While Lively and Swift have been best friends for nearly a decade, sources now suggest that Taylor is not happy about being dragged into this legal battle.

The controversy started when Baldoni’s lawsuit against Lively revealed text messages in which she allegedly compared herself to Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones and referred to Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds as her “dragons.”

The implication? That Swift and Reynolds would protect her and use their industry power to back her against Baldoni.

That revelation didn’t sit well with Swift. According to TMZ, a well-connected source close to the singer claims that Swift was blindsided by the text messages and deeply uncomfortable with how Lively characterized their friendship.

The same source alleges that when Swift showed up at Lively’s New York penthouse that day, she had no idea that a meeting was even taking place between Lively, Baldoni, and Ryan Reynolds.

The source claims that Lively told Swift exactly what time to arrive—perhaps as a power move to show Baldoni just how influential her friends were.

As TMZ reports, Swift felt manipulated by Lively and now believes that this isn’t the first time Lively has used her name for personal gain.

Blake Lively’s New Lawsuit: Defamation Allegations

As if the situation couldn’t get worse for Lively, she is now facing a $7 million defamation lawsuit filed by Texas crisis communications specialist Jed Wallace and his company, Street Relations.

Wallace, who was mentioned in Lively’s original legal complaint against Baldoni, claims that he was falsely accused of orchestrating an online smear campaign against Lively.

He insists that he had no involvement in spreading negative press about Lively and is now suing her for damages.

In Lively’s initial lawsuit, she alleged that Baldoni and his team worked with PR professionals—including Wallace—to create a “digital army” designed to attack her reputation.

Wallace, however, is arguing that these claims are completely false and have now damaged his professional standing.

In response, Lively’s lawyer has dismissed the lawsuit as a “publicity stunt” and retaliation for her initial claims.

However, if Wallace’s case holds up in court, it could further complicate Lively’s position in this already messy legal battle.

The Website That’s Blowing the Case Wide Open

Baldoni’s legal team has been promising to release all of their evidence—and now they’ve done just that.

In a move that stunned many, Baldoni’s team launched a website containing all the receipts they claim prove their case against Lively.

The site includes 168 pages of legal filings, text messages, and behind-the-scenes details about how this entire scandal unfolded.

One of the biggest claims made in the updated lawsuit? That Lively secretly gave The New York Times early access to her civil rights complaint, allowing them to shape the narrative before it was even filed.

Baldoni’s team alleges that metadata timestamps on images and documents published by The New York Times prove that they had the lawsuit in their hands days before it was officially filed—suggesting a coordinated effort to control the story.

Of course, The New York Times has denied these allegations, dismissing Baldoni’s claims as nothing more than speculation based on “amateur internet sleuths.”

But if Baldoni’s team can prove that Lively and The New York Times worked together to manipulate public perception, it could shift the entire lawsuit in his favor.

Is This the Next Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard Case?

Many legal experts are now comparing this case to the infamous Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial, which became one of the most talked-about defamation lawsuits in Hollywood history.

Even Ben Chew, Johnny Depp’s attorney, has weighed in, saying:

“The stakes are a little different in this case. In Johnny’s case, he was suing for defamation to get his reputation back. This case has the challenge of convincing a jury why they should care about a dispute between two powerful, successful actors.”

Ryan Reynolds: Is His Career at Risk?

While Ryan Reynolds has remained mostly silent on the controversy, some industry insiders believe that his close association with Lively’s actions could put his own career at risk.

If it turns out that Reynolds played any role in manipulating press coverage—or even if the public simply perceives that he did—it could impact his standing with Marvel Studios and other major studios.

After all, Disney and Marvel have fired major actors over controversy before (see: Johnny Depp and Gina Carano), and with Deadpool & Wolverine set to be one of Marvel’s biggest upcoming releases, they won’t want any unnecessary drama attached to the film.

So far, Reynolds has kept a low profile, but his silence is only fueling speculation about how involved he truly was.