Taylor Swift’s connection to Blake Lively’s movie “It Ends With Us,” starring Lively and Justin Baldoni, has deepened.
Resurfaced interviews reveal Swift may have had a hand in casting Isabela Ferrer, the rising star who played the younger version of Lively’s character, Lily Bloom.
Baldoni wanted to choose an actress who resembled Lively because she is so “recognizable.” The director noted while Ferrer is a “spitting image” of Lively, she’s also a “phenomenal” actress.
“I was casting, and I had actually brought in and showed her casting tape to Blake and Taylor, and they were both, like, ‘Yes! Her,'” Baldoni said in an interview with “Access Hollywood.” “And that’s a true story.”
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Baldoni’s mention of Swift confirmed comments Ferrer had made in an interview with “Extra.”
Ferrer claimed Swift had influence over her casting at the premiere of “It Ends With Us” in August.
“I don’t even know if I’m supposed to be saying it, but I’m saying it,” she told the outlet when asked about Swift. “Yeah, she was a helpful part of the process of the audition, which I found out later after I got it, and that rocked my world. I have no words.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Swift’s representative for comment.
This isn’t the first time Swift has been linked to “It Ends With Us” after Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment. Baldoni responded by suing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for civil extortion and defamation.
In a lengthy timeline shared on Baldoni’s website, which also features the actor’s amended lawsuit against Lively and her husband, the actor and director shared a text exchange between the film’s producer, Jamey Heath, a Sony Film executive, and a Sony marketing executive (who had allegedly just spoken with Lively) that details Lively’s alleged “escalating demands” over the film’s release and a “veiled threat” over the use of Swift’s song, “My Tears Ricochet.”
“While Lively is holding the Film hostage in the edit room, she is simultaneously stalling the Film’s marketing by refusing to approve key materials, including the trailer release,” the timeline states, alongside screenshots of various messages between the three individuals.
“Lively will not approve the trailer release unless she is granted more time in the edit room with her personal editor. Adding to the pressure, Lively made a veiled threat, implying she might ‘change her mind’ about reaching out to Taylor Swift to secure the use of ‘My Tears Ricochet’ for the trailer if her demands are not met.”
Swift’s song was later used in the film’s trailer as well as in a scene within the movie.
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Despite Swift’s connection to the “It Ends With Us” drama, the pop star has a “good chance” of getting out of testifying if the legal fight heads to trial in 2026.
“To the extent that Taylor Swift’s deposition would likely lead to relevant information for the case, she could be subpoenaed to testify at a deposition and/or to provide documentary evidence in support,” Ethan Krasnoo, partner at Reavis Page Jump LLP, told Fox News Digital. “But Taylor Swift could seek to quash the subpoena, arguing that it is a fishing expedition or intended to cause harm to Lively in damaging her friendship with Swift rather than to obtain relevant or necessary information.
“Given the minimal impact on the merits of the case, and the fact that parties to the litigation, including Lively, would likely have much of the same relevant information that Taylor Swift would have, should Swift be subpoenaed for a deposition, there is a good chance that a motion to quash the subpoena would be successful.”
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Baldoni also mentioned Swift in the lawsuit by sharing texts exchanged between him and Lively. The “Jane the Virgin” star claimed Lively used her friendship with Swift to threaten the actor into changing the “It Ends With Us” script. While working on the film, Lively insisted on rewriting the rooftop scene. Baldoni had been hesitant about the idea but told Lively he would “take a look at what she put together,” according to the complaint.
Afterward, Lively invited Baldoni to her New York City home, where the actor said he felt Swift and Reynolds pressured him into using Lively’s rewrite of the scene.
“Later, Baldoni felt obliged to text Lively to say that he had liked her pages and hadn’t needed Reynolds and her megacelebrity friend to pressure him,” the complaint said.
“I really love what you did. It really does help a lot. Makes it so much more fun and interesting. (And I would have felt that way without Ryan and Taylor [emoji] You really are a talent across the board. Really excited nd [sic] grateful to do this together,” Baldoni’s text said, according to the complaint.
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Lively shared a lengthy response, in which she referred to Swift and Reynolds as “dragons” who protect her.
“Both Ryan and [redacted] have established themselves as absolute titans as writers and storytellers outside of their primary gig – just singing or just acting or [redacted] just directing. I’m so lucky to have them as creative barometers,” Lively’s text, included in the complaint, said.
“But also to have them as people who prop me up and make sure I’m seen for all I can, and do offer. Because they know firsthand all I contribute. They also know I’m not always as good at making sure I’m seen and utilized for fear of threatening egos, or fear of affecting the ease of the process. They don’t give a s— about that. And because of that, everyone listens to them with immense respect and enthusiasm. So I guess I have to stop worrying about people liking me.”
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If a judge decides Swift’s connection has any relevant bearing on the case, the “Midnights” singer could have to take the stand. Depositions in civil cases have “liberal rules,” another legal expert explained to Fox News Digital.
“A party to a civil lawsuit can seek testimony from any individual who is likely to have relevant and material information,” New York attorney Nicole Brenecki explained. “What is ‘relevant’ and ‘material’ is understood very broadly to include any information that could have bearing on the outcome of a case.
“If Taylor Swift’s testimony is in any way relevant to the subject of this litigation, a subpoena for her testimony should be so ordered by the presiding judge unless the lawyer seeking her testimony is completely and utterly unable to show that said testimony would be in any way relevant.”
Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
