The close friendship between Taylor Swift and Blake Lively, one of Hollywood's most talked-about pairings, may be facing a strain. According to multiple sources, tension between the two could have arisen due to Lively's legal battle with her co-star and director of "It Ends With Us," Justin Baldoni.
While some accounts suggest the "Fortnight" singer felt used, others assure that she still maintains a close relationship with the "Gossip Girl" actress.
It all began when Baldoni filed a countersuit against Blake Lively, revealing alleged text messages in which the actress referred to certain close figures as "dragons." In one of these messages, Lively reportedly told Baldoni: "If you've ever seen 'Game of Thrones,' you'll understand that I'm Khaleesi, and like her, I have some dragons."
"For better or for worse, but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So, really, we all benefit from those beautiful monsters of mine. You will too, I promise you," the director's lawsuit quotes.
According to Baldoni, Lively implied that Taylor Swift along with Ryan Reynolds was one of those dragons to persuade him to accept the changes she made to the script of a scene.
"I really love what you did. It really helps a lot. It makes it much more fun and interesting. And I would have felt the same way without Ryan and Taylor," the actor and director mentioned in another part of the conversation when agreeing to the modifications.
This alleged attempt by Lively to involve Swift in her dispute with Baldoni reportedly made the singer uncomfortable, according to a source close to Page Six.
"Taylor really wishes Blake hadn't dragged her into this whole situation," the informant stated, adding that Swift "doesn't appreciate being referred to as one of Blake's dragons" and "can't help but feel used."
According to TMZ, the tension between Swift and Lively is real and has had concrete consequences. A source with direct knowledge of the matter assured the media that Lively would not be invited to Swift's suite at the Super Bowl, an event that numerous celebrities will attend to support Travis Kelce this Sunday, February 9.
"Despite what Blake thinks, their friendship is fractured," the source assured. Additionally, according to TMZ, Swift "was furious" about the way she was involved in the legal dispute and "was never her dragon."
The media also reported that Swift discovered that her name was being mentioned in various meetings and conversations by Lively, a situation that she did not like.
On the other hand, ET presented a more optimistic outlook for the friendship of both celebrities. Entertainment Tonight reported this Thursday that, while Swift "doesn't want to be mentioned at all or get involved in the drama," she still maintains a good relationship with Lively.
"Taylor is still close to Blake, but she's focused on her own life and everything she has going on. She's in a great moment and wants to keep moving forward," a source assured the media.
Regarding Blake's presence at the Super Bowl, The Sun assured that she and Reynolds had been included on Swift's guest and companion list, at least until January 29. The British media mentioned at the time that Taylor and Lively's relationship was in good shape.
Other versions indicate that Lively would be absent from Swift's box due to her decision to keep a low profile amid the legal conflict.
The singer and the "It Ends With Us" actress have been friends since 2015, when the actress made a reference to the "Bad Blood" video in a social media post. Since then, they have been close on numerous occasions, sharing vacations, celebrations and public events.
However, the singer has remained completely silent about "It Ends With Us," unlike other productions in which her friends have worked. Her lack of public support for the film, even when it premiered, has been unusual.