Taylor Swift's unsealed texts to Blake Lively reveal 'shift' in their friendship: 'Just come back, please' Shania RussellJanuary 22, 2026 at 6:56 AM 0 Steph Chambers/Getty Taylor Swift and Blake Lively at Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las VegasKey Points In legal filings unsealed on Jan. 20, Taylor Swift and Blake Lively discuss a change in their friendship amid the It Ends With Us drama. After addressing the reason for her distance, Swift wrote to Lively, "You don't need to apologize. Just come back, please.
- - Taylor Swift's unsealed texts to Blake Lively reveal 'shift' in their friendship: 'Just come back, please'
Shania RussellJanuary 22, 2026 at 6:56 AM
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Steph Chambers/Getty
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively at Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las VegasKey Points
In legal filings unsealed on Jan. 20, Taylor Swift and Blake Lively discuss a change in their friendship amid the It Ends With Us drama.
After addressing the reason for her distance, Swift wrote to Lively, "You don't need to apologize. Just come back, please."
Swift was drawn into the legal dispute when Justin Baldoni's legal team attempted — and failed — to subpoena her in 2025.
Rumors of a friendship rift between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift were not entirely exaggerated, according to newly unsealed text messages between the stars.
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, an excerpt of a private text exchange between the longtime friends was unsealed before a summary judgment hearing in Lively's ongoing legal battle with her It Ends With Us director and costar, Justin Baldoni. In the documents obtained by PEOPLE, Lively and Swift discuss a "shift" in their relationship, prompted by Lively reaching out to discuss recent tension between them.
"I have no reason to ask, but I donno [sic], I've been feeling like I should... is everything ok?" Lively began the Dec. 4 exchange. "I felt like a bad friend lately because I was such a sad sack who only talked about my own s--- for months. You were generous to not only be the key person there for me during all of it, but also to let me off the hook for being so in it."
Noting that husband Ryan Reynolds advised her to voice these concerns directly to Swift, Lively continued, "I always want the opportunity to be a better friend if there's something I unintentionally did. I know how busy and taxed you are — physically, emotionally, practically, so I don't expect any more from you ever. Just want to make sure all is good."
An hour later, Swift wrote that Lively was "not wrong" but added that "it's also not a big deal."
Elsa/Getty
Taylor Swift, Blake Lively, and Ryan Reynolds at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 1, 2023 in East Rutherford, N.J
According to the filing, the Grammy winner, who was days away from wrapping her months-long Eras Tour, explained, "I think I'm just exhausted in every avenue of my life and in recent months had been feeling a little bit of a shift in the way you talk to me. Yes there has been a lot of Justin stuff but I've been through things like this before and I know how all consuming it is."
Addressing the reason for the distance between them head on, Swift wrote, "I feel really bad saying anything about this because your texts have been so nice in their intent but your last few... it's felt like I was reading a mass corporate email sent to 200 employees. And it feels awful to be in any way critical of any way you process what you've been going through but I just kinda miss my funny, dark, normal-speaking friend who talks to me as herself."
She continued, "I know you feel attacked from all sides for ridiculous reasons so you're feeling like you have to overly explain things... but. It's me! That's just caused a little distance. And you don't need to apologize. Just come back, please."
Per the filing, Lively agreed with Swift in her response, explaining that she has "become digitally paranoid" amid the dispute with Baldoni.
"I've been texting like I'm writing. Not like me talking. I didn't realize that until you pointed it out, but I see it," Lively admitted. "On top of that, I'm over packaging simple things bc I've felt so deeply misunderstood that I don't trust my judgement of myself anymore... This f---ing guy and what he did to me gave me an identity crisis. Legitimately."
Lively then wrote that she has recently lost several "lifelong friends" including "allies" and "women" who "quietly dipped" amid this difficult period in her life.
"So I'm probably being over the top with my friends who stayed because I've never felt more alone," she explained. Thanking Swift and apologizing, Lively added, "F--- that guy and f--- his whole gaggle of supervillains."
Nicole Rivelli
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in 'It Ends With Us'
Referencing the then-impending end of Swift's tour, Lively wrote that she was "excited" for the singer "to be done with suitcases, constant sinus infections and torn up kneecaps."
Other recently unsealed exchanges between Lively and Swift saw the pair discuss the actress' frustrations about Baldoni and the production of It Ends With Us. In one text excerpt, Swift allegedly wrote, "I think this bitch knows something is coming because he's gotten out his tiny violin."
Per the unsealed docs, Baldoni's legal team allege that Lively asked Swift to endorse a revised version of the script she was proposing "even without having read it." Lively's lawyers countered, arguing that this "does not support Defendants' assertion" that Lively and Swift "privately discussed the forthcoming New York Times article" that broke the news of the legal battle when it was published Dec. 21, 2024.
Representatives for Swift and Lively did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment.
Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty; Jon Kopaloff/WireImage; Jeff Spicer/Getty
Justin Baldoni, Taylor Swift, and Blake Lively
The close friendship between Swift and Lively dates back to 2015, though the singer has notably kept her distance from the high-profile legal battle, which involved Lively accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. The director has maintained his innocence and filed his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds, claiming civil extortion, defamation, breach of contract, and invasion of privacy. That countersuit was dismissed in June.
Rumors of a rift between Lively and Swift emerged when the "Cruel Summer" singer was drawn into the legal dispute by one of Baldoni's attorneys, who tried and failed to subpoena Swift last year, requesting her testimony in the upcoming trial.
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A representative for Swift hit back hard, claiming in a statement shared with EW, "Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history."
Prior to Lively's legal dispute with Baldoni, she was frequently photographed with Swift at events and private dinners. Lively and Reynolds were also very present during Swift's whirlwind romance with fiancée Travis Kelce: the foursome were photographed on a 2024 double date in New York and also attended that year's Super Bowl with Swift, to cheer on Kelce and his team.
on Entertainment Weekly
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Source: Entertainment
Published: January 21, 2026 at 05:46PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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