Taylor Swift’s texts revealed in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit
Taylor Swift’s text messages revealed in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit.
“You don’t have to apologize, please come back🙏”
These are text messages found on the internet.
As Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle continues to unfold in court and in the headlines, Taylor Swift and Blake Lively’s private text conversations have been made public. Among the trove of emails, texts and depositions unsealed in Lively and Baldoni’s lawsuit was an exchange in which Swift allegedly sided with Lively against the Seraph of the End director.
Celeb watchers say the messages have garnered so much attention not because of their relevance to the case, but because they offer a rare, unedited glimpse into A-list friendships and remind us that what we say in private doesn’t always stay private.
Documents obtained by USA TODAY include a text exchange between Lively and Swift that allegedly took place in December 2024, among the hundreds of exhibits that were unsealed on January 20th. In an exhibit filed by Baldoni’s team on Dec. 5, 2024, Swift appears to have sent Lively a screenshot of a People magazine report in which Baldoni talked about the “trauma” of a previous relationship, along with a message that read, “I think this guy knows something is going to happen because he pulled out a little violin.”
Lively apparently responded, “When he says, ‘Did I always listen when they said no?’ and doesn’t finish the conversation, it sounds different.” Like he did to me. But that shouldn’t have tested well in focus groups. ”
The conversation, which took place in the days leading up to Swift’s final show on her Elas tour, appears to have begun with Lively asking Swift, “Are you okay?” Because she “recently felt like a bad friend.” Swift responded that Lively was “not wrong” to feel that things were wrong. Swift’s message said that Lively’s recent interactions “felt like reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees,” which made her “feel even more distant from you than geographically.” Swift’s message added, “No need to apologize. Please come back 🙏.”
In another exchange a few weeks later, Swift sent a link to a report that Baldoni had been fired from her agency and told Lively, “You won. You did it. And you… helped so many people who never have to go through this again.”
The message sparked debate online, with some people finding the text offensive. Despite Lively’s team releasing a public statement distancing the pop star from the legal drama, some criticized Swift for standing by Lively in private.
These texts appeal to the public because they are unfiltered.
“We get glimpses into celebrities’ real lives, but only what they want us to see,” says Rob Shuter, host of the podcast “Naughty But Nice with Rob Shuter” and a former celebrity publicist. “This is real. This is just two people. They were never meant to be read. And the fact that they are real is what drives this story.”
The message also touches on experiences that everyone can relate to, famous or not. It’s about venting to your friends about people you both hate.
“You don’t have to be famous to know what it’s like to be really annoyed with someone at work or text a friend after work,” Shooter added. “The fact that Taylor and Blake are doing that is so revealing. It’s so interesting. But that shouldn’t happen, because they’re human beings too. And I think as a society we elevate celebrities to such a high level that we forget that even Queen Elizabeth had to go to the bathroom.”
The real lessons learned from Taylor Swift and Blake Lively’s texting debacle
Lively and Swift aren’t the only celebrities whose texts have been making headlines lately. The internet has also taken notice of reports of private text messages allegedly exchanged between President Donald Trump and European leaders over Greenland.
Shooter said both stories talk about “the power of texting” and serve as stark reminders not to write anything you don’t want anyone to read.
“Now anyone can capture a screen,” he says. “That’s not private.”
And once the text is leaked, there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle.
Melvin Williams, a communications and media studies professor at Pace University, says the mean-spirited nature of Swift and Lively’s writing reflects poorly on neither woman, and they’ve probably both lost some fans as a result.
“The core appeal of Taylor Swift’s brand is her parasocial relationship with her fans,” he says. “Thus, for fans to read Taylor Swift’s deceptive text messages directly contrasts their image of her, revives past questions about Swift’s credibility and behind-the-scenes actions, and raises questions about Taylor Swift’s complicity in the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni debacle.”
When it comes to texting, Shutter offers the same advice to other people, not just celebrities. “If you don’t want to post it, you shouldn’t send it.”
“I don’t text or email…I can’t take a screenshot and post it on Instagram,” he says. “I think people are being more careful.”
Contributor: Kimi Robinson
