A contentious legal battle has emerged involving actress Blake Lively, following claims made by attorney Bryan Freedman, who represents Justin Baldoni. Freedman alleged that a member of Lively’s legal team attempted to coerce Taylor Swift into making a supportive statement on behalf of Lively, indicating potential ramifications should Swift decline.

Details of the Allegation

In a letter submitted to the court, Freedman claimed that Michael Gottlieb, representing the Lively defendants, contacted a lawyer from Venable LLP, the firm representing Swift. The letter reportedly stated that Gottlieb hinted at releasing private messages from Lively if Swift did not comply with the request for support.

Response from Lively’s Legal Team

Gottlieb responded emphatically, labeling Freedman’s accusation as “categorically false” and pointed out the reliance on anonymous sources, which he deemed “cowardly.” He criticized the Wayfarer parties’ legal strategy, asserting that they frequently act without evidence and consideration for the harm such actions could inflict.

Asserting their position, Lively’s legal team moved to have Freedman’s claims dismissed from the case, characterizing them as unfounded and lacking any evidential support. Attorney Esra Hudson, representing Lively, stated, “The allegations in the Freedman Letter are unequivocally and demonstrably false.”

Background Context of the Dispute

The current situation is rooted in a broader legal conflict involving Baldoni’s defamation lawsuit against Lively, which dates back to January. The case has received media attention partly due to text message exchanges between Lively and Baldoni, in which Lively allegedly referenced Swift as “one of her dragons.”

Following the disclosure of a subpoena on May 9, aimed at obtaining documents for the lawsuit, representatives for Swift quickly clarified her lack of involvement with Baldoni and Lively’s film, “It Ends With Us.” They emphasized that Swift had no creative role or connection to the project, which added another layer of complexity to the unfolding legal entanglement.

“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions,” a representative stated, underlining her absence from the project.