Taylor Swift Factor Drove Up Justin Baldoni's PR Fees During Legal War With Blake Lively: Report

Taylor Swift's name has unexpectedly become part of the ongoing legal clash between "It Ends With Us" co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively — and it reportedly came with a hefty price tag.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Baldoni's crisis PR team increased its monthly fee last year over concerns that Lively, who is a close friend of Swift, could spark backlash from the singer's passionate fanbase.

In an email dated Aug. 7, 2024, Street Relations Inc. warned Baldoni's team about the risk of "Blake activating the Taylor Swift fan base," calling it a "major concern."

The message added that, to fully protect Baldoni and his studio from any fallout, the firm was raising its fee to $30,000 per month due to "an uptick in social chatter."

An invoice sent the next day confirmed the new rate, billing Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni's company, for the increased amount, PageSix said. Multiple invoices for the same fee later appeared in court filings.

Lively's spokesperson called the email "incredibly damning" and described it as part of "overwhelming evidence" of what they allege was a smear campaign against the actress.

Lively-Baldoni Feud Escalates With Swift Text Revelation

The dispute between Lively, 37, and Baldoni, 41, began in December 2024, when Lively accused her co-star of sexual harassment on set.

Baldoni denied the claims and filed a countersuit, which a judge dismissed in June. Since then, the battle has expanded to include allegations of targeted social media attacks and retaliatory PR efforts.

Swift's name entered the case earlier this year when a text from Lively to Baldoni compared the singer and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, to her "dragons" — a reference to "Game of Thrones."

Reports suggest the message strained Swift and Lively's friendship, with sources claiming Swift felt her name was being used for leverage.

According to People, while Swift has distanced herself from the legal drama, her representatives have stated she has "no involvement" in the case beyond licensing a song for the "It Ends With Us" soundtrack.

They criticized a subpoena issued to her earlier this year, claiming it was an attempt to generate publicity rather than focus on facts.

Neither Baldoni's representatives nor Street Relations Inc. have commented publicly on the fee increase, while Lively's legal team continues to point to the PR emails as evidence of a coordinated effort to damage her reputation.

Tags

Taylor Swift