Taylor Swift hit with accusations in Justin Baldoni's new lawsuit against Blake Lively
Los Angeles, California - Justin Baldoni has dragged Taylor Swift into his legal drama with his It Ends With Us co-star, Blake Lively.
It does not end with them.
The 40-year-old filmmaker hit Lively with a new lawsuit on Thursday, accusing the 37-year-old and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion.
Baldoni's lawsuit specifically paints Lively as a "manipulator" who sought to take the reins of the movie, which Baldoni directed and co-starred in alongside Lively.
Per People, the Jane the Virgin star mentions Swift in the lawsuit, recalling the time when Lively asked to "take a pass" at rewriting one of the movie's pivotal scenes.
While he claims he was "reluctant" to give her the opportunity, he ultimately agreed.
Baldoni alleges that her rewritten script "dramatically" differed from his, and when he was invited to Reynolds and Lively's apartment to go over the changes, he claims Swift – a longtime friend of Lively's – arrived and "began praising Lively's script."
The Five Feet Apart filmmaker argues in the suit that the "subtext" of this moment was that he must agree to Lively's version of the scene.
Baldoni later reportedly texted the A Simple Favor actor to slam the pressure from "Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend," to which Lively explained they have always been fierce defenders of hers.
Justin Baldoni makes new claims against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
"I think they wanted you and me to see how they felt about [the rewrites] because they've been by my side for far too many experiences where I've been overlooked," an alleged text from Lively said in the suit.
Ultimately, Lively publicly disclosed that Reynolds – who had no official involvement with It Ends With Us – was the writer behind the final version of the scene.
Baldoni's allegations come after Lively took legal action against him in December, accusing him of sexual harassment and conducting a smear campaign against her.
Among a number of disturbing claims, the Betty Buzz mogul said Baldoni created a "hostile work environment," pressured her into additional nude scenes, and entered her trailer without warning while she was undressed.
Baldoni was dropped from his agency, WME, shortly after the suit went public.
He has also sued The New York Times for their reporting on Lively's allegations, though the outlet has fiercely denied any factual errors in their investigation.
Cover photo: Collage: Michael TRAN / AFP, Cindy Ord & Bryan Bedder / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP