(NewsNation) — Justin Baldoni’s team worried that Blake Lively would use Taylor Swift’s fans to attack him on social media, a newly released court document revealed.
Weeks before the theatrical release of “It Ends With Us,” rumors swirled of tension between Lively and Baldoni on the set of the movie, which he directed.
In a letter to Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath and Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, PR specialist Katie Case suggested monitoring and reporting forums “working against” the company and using ties with Instagram, TikTok and Discord “to expose the behavior of Blake and other parties.”
Taylor Swift connection
Case shared her concern with Baldoni’s team that Lively would use her friendship with Swift to get her fans, commonly referred to as the “Swifties,” to go after Baldoni.
“The social team are now worried about Blake activating the Taylor Swift fan base, which is a major concern,” Case wrote in the Aug. 7, 2024, letter.
“With this in mind and to ensure Justin and the Studio are 100% protected moving forward, they have now changed the fee to $30,000 per month due to the uptick in social chatter,” she said.
Taylor Swift and Blake Lively’s friendship
Lively and the “1989” music superstar have been friends for years, often seen going to dinners together, as well as Super Bowl LVIII, where Swift’s boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, played.
US rapper Ice Spice, Ashley Avignone, US actress Blake Lively and US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift watch Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) 
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 11: Rapper Ice Spice, singer Taylor Swift and actress Blake Lively prior to Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Amid the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni, Swift was subpoenaed in May related to the “Jane the Virgin” star’s countersuit against Lively, which was ultimately thrown out by the judge presiding over the case.
Swift’s name was found in text from Baldoni to Lively, where Swift is allegedly referred to as “one of her [Lively’s] dragons.” The texts are allegedly referring to a rooftop scene in “It Ends With Us” that Lively allegedly reworked.
“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,” a spokesperson for Swift told Variety.
Swift and Lively’s friendship was reportedly strained amid the legal fight, but the two had made amends. However, the two’s relationship was strained once again following reports that Lively has been “blackmailing” the “Bad Blood” singer, according to NewsNation’s Paula Froelich.