Blake Lively appears to be showing support for Taylor Swift once again, this time, with a quiet but noticeable gesture on social media. The It Ends With Us star “liked” Swift’s Instagram post on Thursday celebrating the release of her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.
Swift, 35, marked the album drop with a glitzy carousel of photos inspired by old-school showgirls and a heartfelt caption: “I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right.” She went on to thank her longtime collaborators Max Martin and Shellback: “A forever thank you goes out to my mentors and friends Max and Shellback for helping me paint this self portrait. If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain…The Life of a Showgirl is out now.”
Lively’s Instagram “like” was subtle and easy to miss, but it didn’t go unnoticed, especially given recent rumors about a possible rift between the actress and the Grammy-winning singer.
Speculation about a fallout between the longtime friends sparked earlier this year, particularly after fans began dissecting the lyrics of one of Swift’s new tracks, Ruin the Friendship. Some speculated the song referenced her strained relationship with Lively. However, after a closer read, Page Six reported that the lyrics seem to center around a past romantic entanglement from high school, and are unlikely to be tied to Lively at all.
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Still, the buzz around their rumored falling-out has been hard to ignore, especially with the messy legal situation involving Lively and her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni. Lively had in early 2025 filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of s*xual harassment, breach of contract and retaliation, among other claims. In response, Baldoni countersued for $400 million, alleging defamation and extortion and named Swift in the filing.
According to legal documents obtained by Page Six, Baldoni’s legal team claimed Swift was willing to testify in the case and had “agreed” to a deposition. They stated that her schedule could only allow her to testify between October 20 and 25, following the release of The Life of a Showgirl.
However, Swift’s lawyers pushed back strongly on that claim. As per a report by Rolling Stone, in a letter sent to Judge Lewis J. Liman, her attorneys stated: “My client did not agree to a deposition. But if she is forced into a deposition, we advised (after first hearing about the deposition just three days ago) that her schedule would accommodate the time required during the week of October 20.”
Attorneys representing Lively also challenged Baldoni’s legal team, noting in their court filings: “In this latest effort, the Wayfarer Defendants assert — though, notably, without evidence — that Ms. Swift has supposedly ‘agreed’ to sit for a deposition sometime between October 20-25 (some three weeks after the close of fact discovery in this matter).” The filing added that Baldoni’s side had failed to provide valid justification for the deposition.
Baldoni’s countersuit was ultimately dismissed by a judge in June, but Lively’s case against him is still ongoing.
Sources close to the situation say the ordeal has taken a toll on Swift’s relationship with Lively. “Taylor really wishes Blake hadn’t dragged her into this whole situation,” a source told Page Six earlier this year. “They have been friends for years and Taylor cherishes genuine friendships, but she can’t help but feel used at this point.”
Despite the behind-the-scenes tension, Lively’s simple act of liking Swift’s album announcement suggests the door may not be entirely closed on their friendship. While neither camp has commented publicly, the gesture could be seen as an olive branch — or at least, a show of support during a major moment in Swift’s career.