Taylor swift summons withdrawn

NEW YORK. — Taylor Swift will not be drawn into the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni after a court summons for the pop star was withdrawn.

Baldoni and Lively co-starred in 2024 film It Ends With Us, but are now embroiled in a bitter legal dispute after she sued the actor and director, accusing him of sexual harassment and a smear campaign.

Baldoni’s lawyers had sent subpoenas to Swift and her legal team in an attempt to obtain messages between lawyers representing Lively and the singer, who are friends, Variety reported.

But the subpoena was dropped after Swift’s legal team objected that the legal order amounted to an “unwarranted fishing expedition”, Variety said.

Lively’s spokesperson said they were “pleased” the subpoena had been withdrawn.

“We supported the efforts of Taylor’s team to quash these inappropriate subpoenas directed to her counsel and we will continue to stand up for any third party who is unjustly harassed or threatened in the process,” they said.

Earlier this month, Swift’s representatives told the BBC she was being brought into a legal row to create “tabloid clickbait”.

It was originally reported that Swift had been subpoenaed to give information after it was alleged she tried to pressure Baldoni to accept script rewrites by Lively for the film.

Baldoni had said he was invited to Lively’s New York home in 2023 to discuss script changes, where Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Swift were there to serve as her “dragons”. — BBC