Blake Lively’s lawyer has voiced disapproval at the possibility of Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift being subpoenaed in Justin Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit. The legal battle, which began after Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni in December 2024, has drawn considerable attention. Now, several other celebrities are being drawn into the high-profile legal battle.
Blake Lively’s lawyer slams Justin Baldoni over subpoena
Blake Lively’s attorney, Mike Gottlieb, strongly criticized Justin Baldoni’s legal team for considering subpoenas for Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift. In an interview with People, Gottlieb expressed his confusion over the relevance of the two stars to the case. He said, “It’s completely unclear what claims or defenses, in the case any of these celebrities … have any relevance to at all.”
Gottlieb emphasized his belief that neither Reynolds nor Swift had any legitimate reason to be involved in Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and Lively’s publicist, Leslie Sloane. He also clarified that the case centers on Lively’s claims regarding the work environment on set and not about the film’s soundtrack or fictional characters.
Gottlieb stated that Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift were being dragged into the case without any real connection. He said, “You can’t just go around subpoenaing people because they’re famous and you think it will generate a bunch of headlines. And the federal courts don’t tolerate that kind of behavior.” The lawyer also voiced concerns about the trial turning into a media spectacle.
Bryan Freedman, Baldoni’s lawyer, has strongly responded to Gottlieb’s comments and claimed that his team has evidence to back their claims. Freedman also emphasized that Ryan Reynolds’ involvement is “very well documented.” The lawyer also raised the question of whether Disney allowed Reynolds to use corporate resources for personal issues.
The comments follow several reports suggesting that Reynolds and Swift could be subpoenaed in connection with Baldoni’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively.
