Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Prepare for Explosive May 2026 Court Trial in New York as Taylor Swift Looms as a Key Witness

Circle May 18, 2026. That’s when one of the most closely watched celebrity trials in years is set to begin.

The legal war between Blake Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni has been simmering, exploding, and then narrowing ever since it first burst into public view last December.

What began as a tangle of lawsuits and counterclaims has now been pared back by Judge Lewis Liman into a single, high-stakes case — and the spotlight is only getting brighter.

At the heart of it all is Lively’s allegation that Baldoni’s behaviour on set caused her severe emotional distress and crossed the line into sexual harassment.

She also claims that his team orchestrated a calculated PR effort to undermine her reputation.

The price tag attached to those accusations? A staggering $161 million.

Baldoni, for his part, flatly denies everything, with his lawyers dismissing the case as little more than an overblown clash of egos.

Why Taylor Swift May End Up at the Centre of It All

Here’s the twist no one can quite ignore: Taylor Swift.

She’s made it abundantly clear she wants no involvement in this mess, yet all signs point to her becoming a pivotal figure when the case finally reaches court.

The reason isn’t fame or friendship alone — it’s text messages.

During the period in question, Swift and Lively were extremely close.

Those private exchanges, I’m told, could be critical in establishing what Lively genuinely thought and felt about Baldoni while filming was ongoing.

Not months later. Not after lawyers got involved. But in real time, in her own words.

Swift’s connection to the film itself is already on record.

She licensed her song My Tears Ricochet for the soundtrack and was present at the now-notorious meeting at Lively’s New York penthouse, where Baldoni was invited over and confronted about accepting Lively’s rewrites.

The messages exchanged before and after that meeting could offer a candid snapshot of events as they unfolded.

The Judge’s Call on the Messages Everyone Wants to See

Back in June, Judge Liman ruled that Baldoni’s legal team could access messages between Lively and Swift — but only those directly related to the film and the dispute.

Lively’s lawyers fought hard to stop this, arguing that Swift was being dragged into the saga as part of a media strategy. The judge wasn’t persuaded.

In his ruling, Liman noted that Lively herself had indicated Swift was aware of conversations about the working environment on set.

That, he said, made the messages potentially relevant to proving or disproving the harassment and retaliation claims.

A protective order was put in place, keeping those texts firmly out of public view — for now.

Dragons, Khaleesi and a Friendship That Fractured

Before Baldoni’s countersuit was dismissed, his legal filings painted a colourful picture of how pressure was allegedly applied.

According to the complaint, Lively responded to Baldoni’s reluctance over her script changes by calling herself “Khaleesi,” while referring to husband Ryan Reynolds and Swift as her “dragons” — her most trusted allies after years of being overlooked.

The language was striking, and so was the implication: that Baldoni felt cornered by the combined influence of Hollywood royalty and pop superstardom.

Once inseparable, Swift and Lively’s friendship appears to have cooled dramatically since the legal fight began.

Gone are the cosy New York sightings and public displays of closeness.

Swift, who is godmother to three of Lively and Reynolds’ children, has kept her distance.

When she was subpoenaed in May, her spokesperson stressed that her involvement with the film began and ended with a licensed song — and that she didn’t even watch it until weeks after release.

Still, don’t be surprised if she ends up on the witness stand.

Just hopefully not with a wedding to Travis Kelce scheduled the same week.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Big Screen Takeover

Away from the courtroom, 2026 is shaping up to belong to Sabrina Carpenter.

The pop star is making a serious push into film, starting with a Disney+ Muppet Show special in February.

That’s followed by a lavish Alice In Wonderland musical for Universal — and whispers are already swirling that she could be heading to Greece for Mamma Mia 3, alongside Meryl Streep. Not bad momentum at all.

Diva Behaviour, Celebrated and Teased

This year’s unofficial Diva Award goes to Nicole Scherzinger, who’s riding high after winning a Tony for her performance as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.

Reports of her high-maintenance tendencies have only added to the legend.

Producer Jamie Lloyd revealed that Scherzinger requested no close-ups from what she called her “mediocre” side — a line delivered with just enough self-awareness to make it iconic.

Victoria Beckham earns runner-up status, having joked in her Netflix documentary that she only smiles from the left because the right makes her look “unwell.” Relatable, honestly.

Netflix Still Knows How to Woo Voters

While Hollywood tightens its belt — shrinking premieres, quieter parties, and eye-watering lunch prices — Netflix is still splashing the cash where it counts.

For its George Clooney film Jay Kelly, the streamer has been sending awards voters lavish packages: DVDs, hardbound scripts, soundtrack CDs, and cosy branded sweatshirts.

As the holidays rolled in, they sweetened the deal further with £63 vanilla bean cheesecakes from Sweet Lady Jane, a knowing nod to a running joke in the film.

Subtle? No. Effective? Almost certainly.

The Quote That Says Everything Without Saying Much

David Harbour, out promoting Stranger Things just weeks after Lily Allen released an album widely rumoured to reference their marriage, delivered what might be the most carefully indirect quote of the year.

Speaking about flawed characters, he mused about loving people who “make tons of mistakes.”

Officially about acting. Unofficially? You decide.

Danny Dyer, Unfiltered as Ever

Danny Dyer is clearly having the time of his life filming season two of Rivals.

Asked about intimate scenes, he didn’t hold back, cheerfully pointing out that his job sometimes legally allows him to “tongue someone else.”

Disney+ has upped the episode count from eight to twelve — and enthusiasm like that might explain why.

Brutal Honesty and Domestic Realities

Stephen Mangan proudly recalls that Offending Angels, the film where he met his wife Louise Delamere, earned just £94 at the box office — a distinction he seems to wear as a badge of honour.

And Simon Cowell? Not the domestic god you might imagine.

According to fiancée Lauren, he leaves cooking to their hired chef — except for one dish.

Beans on toast, stirred for exactly 20 minutes to achieve the “correct” consistency. Control issues never take a day off.

Hollywood’s New Prudish Phase

Sex may once have sold tickets, but the mood is shifting.

According to a UCLA Teens & Screens report, nearly half of Gen Z think there’s too much sex on screen.

The result? Fewer explicit scenes, fewer scripts calling for them, and intimacy co-ordinators suddenly finding themselves with less work.

UTA has quietly dropped intimacy co-ordinators from its roster, choosing not to expand that part of its business.

Veterans in the field say this has been their slowest year yet, with scripts often being toned down from explicit intimacy to little more than a hug by the time filming begins.

The irony isn’t lost on those who helped create safer spaces for such scenes in the first place.

As one co-ordinator put it, the industry response seems to be: if it’s complicated, better not bother at all.

Even Oscar-winner Mikey Madison opted out of using an intimacy co-ordinator on Anora, choosing speed and simplicity instead.

So, What Comes Next?

A courtroom showdown, a pop megastar potentially under oath, friendships in tatters, and an industry quietly reinventing itself.

Hollywood has always thrived on drama — but in 2026, it looks like the most gripping stories may be playing out under oath rather than under studio lights.

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