The legal dispute between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively over the production of "It Ends With Us" has taken another twist as Baldoni seeks to name high-profile figures, including Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds, as potential witnesses.

In a court filing Monday, Baldoni's attorneys formally objected to Lively's request to redact the names of public figures connected to the ongoing litigation. According to the filing, none of Lively's requests "meets the [court's] high standard for sealing at this stage," per the Daily Mail.

Baldoni, 41, claims that Lively's attempts to conceal these names are motivated solely by concerns over public image. Lively, 38, had described her husband Reynolds as "an innocent third-party" in relation to production challenges with the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel.

Reynolds' Involvement Under Scrutiny

Baldoni's team disputes Lively's characterization of her husband as uninvolved. In the filings, they argue that "the claim that Reynolds is a non-party whose communications should be sealed is overly-restrictive and absurd."

Reynolds, they say, contributed directly to the production, including rewriting a scene and confronting the director over comments regarding Lively's weight. These actions, Baldoni's lawyers assert, make him a key figure to interview as part of the case.

The filings also point to a broader effort by Lively to shield the identities of individuals she allegedly recruited as advocates against Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios. Besides Reynolds, names cited include Swift, Hugh Jackman, Emily Blunt, and America Ferrera.

Taylor Swift Texts Could Be Revealing

Lively has also moved to seal private text messages with Swift, but the singer reportedly has no objection to their release.

Journalist Kjersti Flaa noted that Swift "basically saying... it's fine with me, just show them to the world," which may undermine Lively's attempt to hide them.

Flaa suggested that the texts could be "damaging" to Lively's case, adding a potential conflict between the actress's public victim narrative and evidence of her influence on set.

Additionally, Lively reportedly seeks to seal texts between Reynolds and his agent at WME, as well as a letter she sent to the Producers Guild of America. Flaa explained that the PGA letter "shows that she had so much power on this set... and that looks really bad for her case because she's pretending that she's a victim here."

Court Timeline and Background

The case is scheduled for a January 22 hearing, with a May 18 trial date set, according to ABC News. The dispute began in December 2024, when Lively filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress by Baldoni.

She also accused Baldoni of orchestrating a smear campaign and named several collaborators, including his studio, CEO, and PR personnel.

Baldoni previously sought $250 million in damages from The New York Times for a report he claimed was defamatory, later increasing his claim to $400 million in a separate lawsuit filed in January. All parties have denied the allegations. Newly revealed texts indicate Baldoni was willing to concede up to 95% of Lively's on-set demands to maintain peace during production.

"It Ends With Us" grossed $148 million domestically and $350 million worldwide, starring Lively, Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj, Brandon Sklenar, and Kevin McKidd. The story centers on Lily Bloom, played by Lively, navigating a toxic relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, portrayed by Baldoni.

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Taylor Swift, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds