TROUBLE IN PARADISE?

Blake Lively and Taylor Swift’s Friendship Has ‘Halted’: Report

The reported cool-off comes on the heels of Lively’s escalating legal battle with Justin Baldoni.

Blake Lively and Taylor Swift’s friendship has reportedly experienced a stoppage following Lively’s escalating legal battle with her former co-star Justin Baldoni. In a report published Thursday, a source close to Swift told People magazine that the pair’s “friendship has halted” in recent weeks as the singer, who was subpoenaed in Baldoni’s case earlier this month, wants “no part in this drama.” Another source told the outlet that Swift and Lively, who have been friends for at least a decade, are “taking some space” but are “not no longer friends.” A third source told the outlet that the subpoena “fractured” the “fragile peace” between the pair. Lively initially sued Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation, which he denied, in December last year. He subsequently countersued Lively for $400 million alleging extortion and defamation, which Lively’s attorneys called “vengeful” and “meritless.” Swift was later subpoenaed in Baldoni’s case against Lively on May 9. A representative for the singer slammed the move in a statement to People at the time, saying: “This document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”