The Brett Cooper Show

Episode 122: Taylor Swift's Texts Prove Blake Lively is Mean and a Liar 🎶
Host: Brett Cooper
Date: January 22, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Brett Cooper unpacks the ongoing Hollywood drama surrounding Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and a host of celebrity friends—including Taylor Swift—centered on the contentious production of "It Ends With Us." Delving into recently released legal documents and leaked text messages, Brett traces a timeline of manipulation, power plays, and behind-the-scenes sabotage, challenging the prevailing public narratives of alleged sexual harassment and smear campaigns. Brett questions the motives and actions of the key players, exploring broader themes of influence, honesty, and the shifting landscape of celebrity power.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap of the "It Ends With Us" Production Saga (00:00–05:15)

• Brett sets the tone with a critique of ongoing Hollywood deception and ego games.
• The "It Ends With Us" film becomes a hotbed for controversy long after its release, centering on the conflict between Blake Lively (star/producer) and Justin Baldoni (actor/director).
• Brett notes that the roots of the drama trace back to disagreements over film promotion—Blake's "floral girly pop" campaign for a serious domestic violence narrative versus Justin's focus on survivor stories.
• Notable quote:
  “Blake Lively and all her friends are mean and liars and all they are is... okay, driving into that.” (A, 01:18)

2. Origins of the Smear Campaign & Public Perception (05:15–10:12)

• A December 2024 New York Times piece paints Baldoni as orchestrating a smear campaign against Blake after she alleged sexual harassment on set.
• Public and press narratives get shaped by press leaks, purportedly from Blake’s camp.
• Brett casts doubt on the sexual harassment narrative as the genesis of the feud, theorizing it was a veiled bid for creative control by Blake ("hostile takeover").
• Brett highlights a history of similar incidents involving Blake and Ryan Reynolds on previous projects.

3. Sony’s Perspective & Executive Criticism (10:12–15:42)

• Newly revealed depositions and texts from Sony executives show deep frustration with Blake Lively’s conduct:

  • Sony exec described Blake as an “effing terrorist.” (10:49)
  • Sony’s Chief Communications Officer accused her of orchestrating drama and then blaming others.
  • Executives blamed her product-pushing and refusal to listen to advice for negative publicity.
  • Blake allegedly encouraged cast members to unfollow Baldoni and was implicated in his exclusion from the film’s premiere.
  • While Sony had some concerns about Baldoni (“unprepared, indecisive, inexperienced, too sensitive”), these were not considered serious HR-level offenses.

• Notable quote:
  "She orchestrated all of this drama in a totally unsavvy and amateur way, basically threatened Sony, and now is mad that it backfired on her."—Sony EVP/Chief Communications Officer (11:49)

  • Sony ultimately viewed Blake as the production’s main source of chaos by the rollout's end rather than Baldoni.

4. Blake Lively’s Pattern of Power Grabs (15:42–18:59)

• Internal emails between Blake Lively and friends indicate she was actively attempting to take over the film well before post-production.
• She communicated to friends and author Colleen Hoover about plans for future adaptations before credits rolled.
• Group chats reveal Lively, Hoover, and others mocking Baldoni and strategizing future projects without him, dubbing Baldoni a “sociopath” and “narcissist.”

5. Mobilizing the 'A-list Dragons' (18:59–22:22)

• Brett details how Blake enlisted her “Avengers” of Hollywood—Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds—to back her regime change, explicitly claiming to have rewritten scripts and directed key scenes.
• Emails and texts reveal disparagements of Baldoni (“chaotic clown”) to industry insiders.
• Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper provided support at key screenings to sway opinion in Blake’s favor.

6. Taylor Swift’s Real Involvement Exposed (22:22–30:33)

• Publicly, Taylor Swift’s team downplayed her involvement in the film beyond licensing her song.

• Exposed falsehood #1: Taylor did participate in casting decisions, approving the actress playing young Blake.

• Exposed falsehood #2: Taylor saw pre-release trailers, gave creative input, and discussed strategy with Blake—explicitly lending her “pop culture” expertise and star power.

• Text example:

  • Blake: “I've finally gotten to get in the edit alone. No, Justin. I'm gonna make this movie great and successful…” (approx 24:15)
  • Taylor: “Oh my god, it's amazing… I love how they used [my] song.” (24:40)
  • Taylor: “He would be like, ‘no Taylor Swift in the trailer because that gives you more power over the film.’ That's your ally, not his.” (25:18)
  • Blake: “Get yourself a best friend who thinks like the actual Roman Empire.” (25:36)
  • Taylor: “His misogyny runs so deep that he thinks women are incapable of winning chess matches or making long game power plays…” (25:44)

• Taylor was also in on the “dragon” metaphor and supported Blake's maneuvers, using her brother Austin (who runs her licensing) as a logistical “dragon.”

7. Blake and Taylor’s Pre-Production Scheme: Nothing to Do with Harassment (30:33–36:55)

• Key evidence: Texts from April 2023 (a month before filming) reveal Blake was already plotting with Taylor to manipulate Baldoni, pressuring him to accept her rewrites and using Taylor’s star power as leverage.
  • Blake: “Can you tell him you're excited for the movie, that you read the book, and that you're freaking out over the pages that I sent you…” (approx 34:35)
  • Taylor: “I'll do anything for you.” (34:57)
• After an orchestrated meetup at Blake’s apartment, Blake texted: “You were so epically heroic today. I recapped every moment to Ryan…” (35:34)
• Brett highlights this as proof the plot didn’t originate from workplace disputes or harassment claims but from Blake’s preemptive quest for creative control.

8. Taylor Swift’s Continued Involvement and The Public’s Reaction (36:55–41:15)

• Even as Blake’s legal campaign intensified, Taylor was feeding headlines to Blake and celebrating Baldoni’s “downfall”:
  • Taylor: “I think this bitch knows that something is coming because he has gotten out his tiny violin.” (approx 39:45)
• Brett argues that recent PR moves, like rumors about Taylor's personal life, might have been strategic distractions orchestrated to suppress negative coverage from these revelations.
• TikTok and online commentary are split; some see Taylor's actions as loyal friendship, others call for accountability due to her central role in the drama and subsequent denial.

9. Brett’s Conclusions and The Broader Takeaway (41:15–47:39)

• Brett asserts that the new evidence is “not just bad for Taylor. It's really not good for Blake.”
• The intentional, premeditated campaign by Blake (and Taylor’s knowing support) undermines the credibility of later harassment claims and paints the conflict as a personal power struggle.
• Notable quote:
  “It completely muddies the water around her accusations about sexual harassment... were they retaliating against sexual harassment allegations or were they retaliating against a year and a half of slander and manipulation?” (43:26)
• Brett empathizes with Baldoni, speculating that industry sabotage from those he admired could easily lead to his own defensive PR campaign.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “More evidence from this buffet of lawsuits between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni just keeps pouring out.” (A, 01:39)
• “If you just read that NYT article, you could very well be convinced... it was just about sexual harassment retaliation... But... we know that this is actually a much bigger story.” (A, 06:25)
• “She is now slinging all these attacks on how awful Justin Baldoni was to work with when executives at Sony are calling you a terrorist.” (A, 11:01)
• “She orchestrated all of this drama in a totally unsavvy and amateur way, basically threatened Sony, and now is mad that it backfired on her.” (A, 11:49)
• Blake to Taylor: “I've finally gotten to get in the edit alone. No, Justin... I'd love to know what you think... as someone who knows pop culture better than anyone.” (24:15)
• Taylor to Blake: “He would be like, ‘no Taylor Swift in the trailer because that gives you more power over the film. That's your ally, not his.’” (25:18)
• On the toxic friendship dynamics:
  “It’s literally like they’re 14 years old. You are the coolest person in the world, and you like me. Like, ladies, what are we doing here.” (35:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–05:15 — Opening, setup of the ongoing "It Ends With Us" saga
• 05:15–10:12 — NYT article & public smear campaign revelations
• 10:12–15:42 — Sony executive commentary and internal strife
• 15:42–18:59 — Blake's takeover plans & exchanges with Colleen Hoover
• 18:59–22:22 — Mobilizing elite Hollywood support (“dragons”)
• 22:22–30:33 — Taylor Swift’s alleged involvement; her PR denials versus emerging evidence
• 30:33–36:55 — Pre-production plotting: Texts from April 2023
• 36:55–41:15 — Taylor’s continuing role & the media’s response
• 41:15–47:39 — Brett’s conclusions: What it all means for Blake, Taylor, and the industry

Style & Tone

• Brett maintains a sharp, irreverent, and judgmental tone, directed at the egos and manipulations of Hollywood’s elite, while weaving in empathetic asides about being caught in such toxic dynamics.
• Frequent use of sarcasm and pop culture references (“Game of Thrones dragons,” “Roman Empire,” “mean girls in high school”) keeps the episode lively and accessible, even while poring over legal details.

Final Thoughts

Brett Cooper uses this episode to challenge the sanitized, PR-driven narratives offered by A-list celebrities and their teams. Drawing from court documents and private text messages, Brett exposes a premeditated pattern of manipulation, calling out both Blake Lively and Taylor Swift for dishonesty and strategic power plays—while noting the unfortunate fallout for Justin Baldoni and broader implications for how stories of power and victimhood are told in the entertainment industry.