Absolutely no ill feelings exist between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively. Despite encountering a challenging phase in their friendship during the legal battle between the "It Ends With Us" actress and her costar, Justin Baldoni, which was unsealed on January 20th and obtained by E! News, it became evident how Swift and Lively eventually repaired their bond. According to the court documents, Lively reached out to the Grammy winner on December 4th, 2024, with a text that read, "I have no reason to ask, but I don't know, I've been feeling like I should... is everything okay?"
"I felt like a bad friend lately because I was such a sad sack who only talked about my own stuff for months," Lively continued. "You were generous to not only be the key person there for me during all of it, but also to let me off the hook for being so in it." Although the singer's last name is not mentioned in the texts, her full moniker is noted in the court documents related to the case.
Lively, who is suing Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation, which he denies, noted that her husband Ryan Reynolds had suggested she bring her concerns directly to Swift. "I felt so stupid and like it sounded needy and awkward for everyone, especially because I couldn't explain why I had this feeling," she continued. "I do want to know everything is good, so I'm asking. I always want the opportunity to be a better friend if there's something I unintentionally did. I know how busy and taxed you are - physically, emotionally, practically - so I don't expect any more from you ever."
Swift, who was just days away from wrapping up her Eras Tour at the time, didn't disagree with Lively's admission but emphasized that the situation was "also not a big deal." "I think I'm just exhausted in every avenue of my life and in recent months have been feeling a little bit of a shift in the way you talk to me," she replied. "Yes, there has been a lot of Justin stuff, but I've been through things like this before and I know how all-consuming it is."
"It's more like... and I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in their intent, but your last few... it's felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees," she explained. "It feels awful to be in any way critical of any way you process what you've been going through, but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself."
The 36-year-old expressed her sympathy for Lively as she navigated legal and public hurdles. "I know you feel attacked from all sides for ridiculous reasons, so you're feeling like you have to overly explain things... but it's me," she continued. "That's just caused a little distance. And you don't need to apologize. Just come back, please."
Following Swift's reflection, Lively playfully formatted her message as a professional email blast before responding to her friend's concerns. "Thank you for your feedback," she began. "We at headquarters are reviewing your concerns and will get back to you in a timely manner. For real, though. You're right."
"I've become digitally paranoid," she admitted. "I've been texting like I'm writing. Not like me talking. I didn't realize that until you pointed it out, but I see it. On top of that, I'm over-packaging simple things because I've felt so deeply misunderstood that I don't trust my judgement of myself anymore..."
After sharing her insights, the "Gossip Girl" alum apologized for how she had navigated their friendship. "Point is, I'm being a stupid paranoid weirdo and felt it but didn't know where or how or when," she added. "So thank you for telling me and for saying I don't need to apologize and for not making it a big deal. But I am sorry. To you."
Swift kept it light and joked about Lively's corporate jargon, quipping, "First paragraph took me OUT."
Previously, Swift found herself in the middle of Lively and Baldoni's legal battle after the director accused his costar of using her friendship with the "Karma" singer as leverage for creative control over the Colleen Hoover-adapted film in his since-dismissed countersuit. A rep for Swift denied any involvement in the film aside from her song "My Tears Ricochet" being used in the soundtrack. "Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie," her spokesperson told E! in a May statement. "She was not involved in any casting or creative decisions; she did not score the film; she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film."
