Blake Lively Claims $34M Reputational Harm—Taylor Swift, Emily Blunt, Hugh Jackman to Testify?

In a legal battle that is quickly transforming into a major Hollywood melodrama, the recently unsealed court documents in the high-stakes lawsuit filed by actress Blake Lively against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, have revealed a witness list that reads like the guest list for a major awards show.

This courtroom showdown, revolving around allegations of misconduct and a retaliatory smear campaign, promises to pull back the curtain on the contentious environment surrounding the adaptation of the popular novel.

Could global superstar Taylor Swift, her husband, the Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, or acting royalty like Emily Blunt and Hugh Jackman be called to the stand? The surprising answer is yes.

These A-list names, alongside a roster of other well-known figures, are being roped in as potential witnesses in a legal clash set to determine the future and reputation of two major film stars.

With a trial date looming, the sheer celebrity wattage involved signals that this is far more than a typical Hollywood dispute; it's a colossal confrontation with massive financial and reputational implications.

The Star-Studded Lineup: Potential Witnesses in the It Ends With Us Lawsuit

Newly unsealed court filings from Blake Lively's legal team detail a sweeping list of individuals who may be called upon to testify, underscoring the broad reach of the alleged conduct and its fallout.

Among the most talked-about inclusions is pop icon Taylor Swift, who contributed to the It Ends With Us soundtrack.

According to the court filings cited by Deadline, Swift could provide 'crucial testimony' regarding Baldoni's alleged conduct, suggesting she may have unique insight into the on-set or post-production dynamics between Lively and her director.

Swift and Lively's long-standing friendship has been a public focus, and while rumours of a 'rough patch' circulated during the initial stages of the lawsuit, the potential for her testimony introduces a new, high-profile dimension to the legal proceedings.

Despite the buzz, Swift's representatives have so far declined to comment on her involvement in the testimony.

But Swift is not the only household name. Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, is also listed, which is logical given his alleged presence at a key meeting where Lively first confronted Baldoni about his behaviour. Beyond the immediate inner circle, the list includes a range of other notable figures:

• Fellow Actors: Emily Blunt, Hugh Jackman, Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, and Jenny Slate.
• Industry Heavyweights: Talent manager Scooter Braun.
• Media Personalities: Gigi Hadid, and, notably, conservative commentator Candace Owens.

Owens's potential involvement is particularly noteworthy. Lively's team is reportedly seeking her testimony to help prove the allegations of a 'smear campaign' orchestrated against the actress.

Owens had previously been subpoenaed by Lively's legal team in an effort to prove that media personalities and content creators were allegedly part of a targeted campaign to malign Lively's image.

The Staggering Cost of Alleged Damages for Blake Lively

The It Ends With Us lawsuit is not just a battle for reputational vindication; it involves immense sums of money. Blake Lively's core claims accuse her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, of misconduct and orchestrating a subsequent smear campaign that has cost her millions in damages.

The documents reveal the staggering extent of her financial losses, with the actress seeking no less than three times the amount of her actual loss, which is estimated to be around $161 million.

Per the filings, Lively has itemised her alleged financial harm as follows:

• Lost Earnings: $56.2 million in lost past and future earnings from her career, including acting, producing, endorsement deals, and public engagements.
• Lost Business Profits: $71 million in lost profits from her entrepreneurial ventures, including her beauty brand, Blake Brown, and her beverage company, Betty Buzz/Betty Booze.
• Reputational Harm: $34 million attributed to emotional pain, humiliation, and damage to her reputation, which her team notes is based on an estimated 65 million negative online impressions generated by the alleged smear campaign.

It is important to note that these figures are preliminary and subject to expert testimony at trial.

The legal landscape has recently shifted in Lively's favour, following the dismissal of Justin Baldoni's own $400 million countersuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and The New York Times. Baldoni failed to meet a court-imposed deadline to amend his complaint after the initial dismissal.

With that significant hurdle cleared, the focus now turns squarely to Lively's claims. The trial is set to begin on 9 March 2026 in New York City. The verdict in this unprecedented legal battle will undoubtedly send shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond.