Pop superstar Taylor Swift is pushing back hard against claims she willingly agreed to be questioned in a federal lawsuit. Actor Justin Baldoni previously stated that Swift was on board to give a deposition in his legal battle with Blake Lively. However, Swift’s legal team has now firmly refuted that idea, according to reports from Us Weekly.
Swift’s lawyers sent a letter to the presiding judge on Friday, September 12. In the document, which Us Weekly obtained, they made their stance crystal clear. "As the parties’ attorneys know, since the beginning of this matter we have consistently maintained that my client has no relevant role in this action," the letter read. They continued, stating Swift "did not agree to a deposition." The team added that if she is forced to give one, her busy schedule might allow for it during the week of October 20. This would only happen if the two main parties, Baldoni and Lively, can sort out their own disagreements. Swift’s representatives emphasized, "We have no role in those disputes."
This latest development comes after Baldoni’s legal team submitted their own letter on Thursday, September 11. In their filing, Baldoni’s side claimed the 35-year-old pop star had "agreed" to be deposed next month. They even suggested specific dates between October 20 and 25 for Swift to testify. Baldoni, 41, and his team asked for more time to depose other third parties, including Swift. But Blake Lively, 38, quickly shot down this request. She urged the court not to grant Baldoni any extra time. The judge has yet to make a decision, leaving the question of Swift’s testimony up in the air. Still, it seems if she does speak, it will be under duress, not by choice.
Lively’s team has openly criticized Baldoni’s attempts to involve Swift. They called his actions "disrespectful" in court documents, as Us Weekly first reported. "Baldoni and his team have repeatedly tried to involve [Swift] in this litigation to fuel their tireless media strategy," Lively’s lawyers wrote. They added, "the lack of diligence of [Baldoni and his team], and the lack of respect for the privacy and schedule of [Swift], is astonishing." Lively’s lawyer also pointed out that the discovery process has already lasted over six months. They stressed that Swift’s schedule is usually booked months in advance due to her professional commitments.
Swift herself spoke out about being pulled into this legal drama back in March. This was after Baldoni initially withdrew a subpoena for her. A representative for the singer made it clear that Swift has no connection to the film at the heart of the lawsuit. They stated she also holds no information relevant to the case. "Taylor Swift never stepped foot on the set of this film," the spokesperson explained. "She did not participate in any casting or creative decisions, did not compose the soundtrack, never saw an edit or made comments on the film, nor did she even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release." The representative further highlighted that Swift was busy "traveling the world during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history."
The core of this drama stems from Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni. Us Weekly first reported that Lively sued him for alleged sexual harassment on the set of their 2024 film, It Ends With Us. Baldoni has denied these accusations. Lively has also claimed that Baldoni hired a crisis public relations team to spread negative stories about her in the press. Baldoni, in turn, has stated that Lively defamed him with false accusations.