Blake Lively’s newly released text messages with Taylor Swift and other Hollywood peers could have an impact on her upcoming trial against Justin Baldoni.
According to Rachael Bennett, who is a senior lawyer at Sullivan Law & Associates, newly released court documents may undermine some of the Gossip Girl alum’s arguments.
“Her case is fairly complex in that there are multiple claims being made. We obviously have the sexual harassment component of the case, and then we also have this accusation that Justin Baldoni engaged in a smear campaign intended to really wipe out her reputation,” Bennett — who is not affiliated with the case — exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, January 22. “I know everybody’s looking at these text messages. I know I’ve started looking at them, but there are thousands of pages.”
When looking at the text messages between Lively, 38, and Swift, 36, specifically, Bennett claims that “there could be an argument that some of the conversations undermined her claims that there was a hostile work environment or that there was some kind of imbalance of power, based on the way that they were speaking about him.”
At the same time, Bennett acknowledged that if somebody really harms you, it’s not out of the ordinary to “go off and say a couple of crappy things about them.”
“It doesn’t necessarily change what had happened in the past, and we may see that argument come out in the future,” Bennett claimed, “especially as this trial begins to unfold here soon.”
Lively and Baldoni worked together on the 2024 film It Ends With Us, which was based on Colleen Hoover’s book of the same name.
In December 2024, Lively sued Baldoni and accused her costar and director of sexual harassment and orchestrating an alleged smear campaign against her.
Baldoni has vehemently denied the allegations and subsequently countersued Lively. His lawsuit, however, was dismissed by a judge in June 2025.
As Baldoni and Lively’s lawyers gear up for a May 2026 trial, private text exchanges between the actress and other Hollywood stars were released by Team Lively in response to Team Baldoni’s “motion for summary judgment.”
When asked if Baldoni or Lively has an edge in the case at this point in time, Bennett said, “It’s hard to tell.”
“I do think any time the court unseals records, there’s a reason why somebody wanted them sealed in the first place,” she shared. “Obviously, I think Blake Lively has every interest in trying to protect the privacy and the social ramifications for all of her famous friends that were pulled into this.”
“We’re talking about impact on somebody for alleging sexual harassment or hostile work environment,” Bennett continued. “The impact to her and her frame of mind and how she was speaking about it is really relevant here. I haven’t seen anything.”
Although a New York judge has advised Lively and Baldoni to settle outside of court before a trial begins, both sides appear ready to plead their case in front of a jury.
When marking one year of the legal fight in December 2025, Lively and Baldoni’s legal teams shared a glimpse into their mindset.
“One year ago, Blake Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department to continue to stand up for a safe workplace after the experiences she and others had on the film It Ends With Us,” Lively’s lawyers Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson said in a statement to Us. “Over the past year, Blake has persevered against a billionaire-financed effort to try to ‘bury’ her, her family and businesses through retaliatory lawsuits and a relentless media and digital campaign. With their retaliatory lawsuits dismissed and only her claims set for trial in May, Ms. Lively is more determined than ever to shine a light on the forces that work behind the scenes to silence and discredit women who dare speak up.”
As for Baldoni’s legal team, they shared a message of gratitude for those who hope “truth” will win.
“My clients are deeply grateful for the support and kind words they’ve received over the past year,” Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement to Us. “We trust that the truth will ultimately prevail, and the care that so many have shown has been a meaningful source of strength during an incredibly challenging time.”
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