Justin Baldonis Lawyers Accuse Blake Livelys Lawyers of Extorting Taylor Swift
3 minute readPublished: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 8:56 pm
Taylor Swift Caught in the Crossfire: Lawyers Accuse Blake Lively's Team of Extortion
The legal drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has taken a dramatic turn, with accusations of attempted extortion now swirling around the case. Days after a subpoena pulled pop superstar Taylor Swift into the fray, Baldoni's lawyers are claiming Lively's legal team tried to coerce Swift into issuing a public statement of support.
According to a court filing, Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, alleges that Lively's lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, demanded Swift release a supportive statement, hinting that private text messages would be leaked if she refused. Freedman's letter claims Swift's representatives addressed these "inappropriate and apparently extortionate threats."
Gottlieb has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them "categorically false" and "cowardly sourced." He stated his team will file motions to hold Baldoni's attorneys accountable for their alleged misconduct.
Swift's legal team, Venable, has previously criticized the subpoena, calling it an "abuse of the discovery process" designed to distract from the core issues of the case. Swift's spokesperson has also clarified her limited involvement with the film "It Ends With Us," stating she only licensed her song "My Tears Ricochet" and had no other creative input.
The legal battle between Baldoni and Lively began in December, with Lively suing Baldoni for alleged sexual harassment and a smear campaign. Baldoni has denied the allegations and countersued Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, alleging civil extortion and defamation. The trial is scheduled for March 2026.
BNN's Perspective: This situation highlights the increasingly aggressive tactics sometimes employed in high-profile legal battles. While the accusations are serious, it's crucial to remember they are allegations at this stage. The court will ultimately decide the truth, but the involvement of a major celebrity like Taylor Swift adds another layer of complexity and public interest to an already contentious case.
Keywords: Taylor Swift, Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, legal battle, extortion, lawsuit, subpoena, Michael Gottlieb, Bryan Freedman, Venable, It Ends With Us, sexual harassment, defamation, Ryan Reynolds, trial, court, allegations, Hollywood, celebrity, entertainment news.