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Taylor Swift, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon named in unsealed court documents in Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni case
Unsealed court documents reveal Taylor Swift, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s links to the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni legal battle over It Ends With Us.
Some of Hollywood’s biggest names—including Taylor Swift, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Hugh Jackman—have now been formally drawn into the legal battle between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us director-co-star Justin Baldoni, following the unsealing of court documents in New York. According to a report in People, private messages, emails and witness filings released ahead of a summary judgment hearing this week reveal how deeply the dispute has penetrated Blake’s inner circle.
The documents, made public as part of the $160 million lawsuit, expand what was initially framed as a disagreement over on-set conduct into a broader examination of power, influence and personal networks in Hollywood. With the case now inching toward a possible May 2026 trial, several A-listers could be called upon as witnesses, as per the report.
One of the most closely scrutinised revelations involves text messages exchanged between Blake and Taylor Swift. In unsealed communications from late 2024, the singer allegedly weighed in on the escalating conflict. After a People story referenced Just Baldoni’s past, Taylor reportedly messaged Blake in December 2024, suggesting he “knows something is coming,” accompanied by a remark about him playing a “tiny violin.” Justin’s legal team further claims that Blake asked Taylor to publicly support a revised version of the film’s script, even though Taylor had not read it in full—an allegation Taylor allegedly responded to by saying she would support Blake regardless.
The filings also outline the involvement of Blake’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, who is said to have participated in multiple meetings addressing what Blake has described as a hostile work environment. Emails included in the court record show Ryan contacting Matt Damon and his wife Luciana in May 2024, requesting that they watch Blake’s cut of the film and offer feedback. Blake is also alleged to have reached out separately to Ben Affleck, asking him to view a rewritten and restructured version of the movie, while stressing there was “zero pressure” to do so.
Beyond private communications, Blake’s witness list—first submitted in July and now unsealed—names more than 100 potential witnesses. Alongside It Ends With Us cast members such as Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar, the list includes Emily Blunt, Gigi Hadid, and Blake’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars America Ferrera and Alexis Bledel. Unconventional names such as Candace Owens and Perez Hilton also appear, referenced in connection with what Blake alleges was a coordinated retaliation campaign.
As the Southern District of New York reviews the summary judgment motions, the unsealed filings offer a rare glimpse into what is usually kept firmly behind closed doors in Hollywood. For Blake and Justin, the case has moved well beyond a behind-the-scenes dispute—placing some of the industry’s most powerful names squarely in the public record.
