Blake Lively is leaning on art as her escape amid her fallout with Taylor Swift and her highly publicized lawsuit with her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni.
On Wednesday, the actress, 38, shared on her Instagram Story that she’s turned to watercolor painting as a calming outlet in recent months, calling it a ‘cheaper and more peaceful than most coping mechanisms.’
‘I found these @emilylexstudio watercolor books in a little store this summer and fell in love,’ she wrote over a photo of one of her completed projects, a pastel pink layer cake decorated with strawberries.
In her post, Lively explained that the guided art books, which are just $24, provide both a sketch template and a reference photo, allowing her to unwind while still making each painting her own.
‘You can take as much or as little time as you like. And you can make the painting your own,’ she told fans, adding, ‘Love these so much, highly recommend.’
The revelation comes at a turbulent time for the Gossip Girl star, who has found herself navigating the painful end of one of her closest friendships.
A knockout: Hollywood favorite Blake Lively made the very rare move of sharing a bikini photo to Instagram. The 34-year-old blonde beauty from Tarzana, California wore a white two piece that made the most of her trim tummy
Last month, People revealed that the women ‘aren’t speaking’ and Swift was no longer deposed in Lively’s ongoing legal saga with Baldoni.
Last week, Judge Lewis Liman denied a request by Baldoni’s side – ‘The Wayfarer Parties’ – to extend their deadline to depose Swift, according to court documents obtained by Deadline.
The Wayfarer Parties were seeking to extend the deadline ‘to the end of October’ as Swift was unavailable to be deposed ‘within the current discovery window,’ the court documents said.
In his decision, Judge Liman said the ‘Wayfarer Parties’ failed to exhibit a ‘good cause’ for their proposed extension and demonstrate why they were unable to depose Swift at an earlier date.
The news comes hours after Swift’s lawyer, Doug Baldridge of Venable LLP, submitted a letter in court stating Swift ‘did not agree’ to give a deposition and would only take part if she was ‘forced’ to give testimony.
‘The Wayfarer Parties have not similarly demonstrated good cause for their requested extension. The only justification they have provided for the extension is their assertion that Swift’s preexisting professional obligations now prevent her from appearing for a deposition prior to October 20, 2025,’ Judge Liman said.
‘Importantly, however, the Wayfarer Parties have provided no discussion of when they began attempting to schedule the deposition. Discovery has been ongoing in this case for approximately six months. The Wayfarer Parties previously requested Swift’s deposition in May 2025 before ultimately withdrawing the subpoena.
‘They have offered no evidence that they have served a renewed subpoena on Swift. Thus, at most, the Wayfarer Parties have demonstrated that scheduling the deposition now presents logistical difficulties; that does not answer the question of why the deposition ‘“’could not have been conducted earlier.” Having failed to demonstrate appropriate diligence, the requested extension is denied.’
The actress, 38, shared on Instagram that she’s turned to watercolor painting as a calming outlet in recent months
The judge also granted Lively’s request for an extension in scheduling a deposition with Baldoni and his Wayfarer co-founders, Steve Sarowitz, and Jamey Heath.
‘Because Lively has been “generally diligent” and her request has not resulted from “carelessness, an attorney’s otherwise busy schedule, or a change in litigation strategy,” the request is granted,’ the judge wrote, directing the three parties to be ‘available for depositions within the extended window.’
The latest developments come the same day that Swift’s lawyer submitted a letter in court stating his client ‘did not agree’ to give a deposition and would only take part if she was ‘forced’ to give testimony.
The 35-year-old superstar insist she has ‘no material role’ in the lawsuit between the It Ends With Us stars, according to the letter obtained by Daily Mail.
Baldoni’s attorneys previously filed court documents claiming that singer agreed to give a deposition and shared her availability for the end of October.
The newly engaged star’s legal team claimed they only learned about the deposition just three days ago.
The revelation comes at a turbulent time for the Gossip Girl star, who has found herself caught in the crosshairs of Hollywood drama amid her fallout with Taylor Swift and lawsuit with Justin Baldoni; seen in January 2024
Last week, a judge ruled Swift will now no longer by deposed by Baldoni’s lawyers
The letter also said that Swift’s camp ‘takes no role in those disputes’ but if legally compelled, she could be available next month to testify.
‘Further, 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 if the parties were able to work out their disputes,’ the letter read.
On the other hand, Lively’s team opposed Baldoni’s request to extend the discovery deadline and called it an ‘outrageous,’ media-driven tactic to depose Swift.
The actress’s lawyers wrote in a legal filing: ‘The Wayfarer Defendants have repeatedly sought to bring Ms. Swift into this litigation to fuel their relentless media strategy. Yet … they have not come close to establishing good cause.’
Her attorneys also noted that Baldoni’s team previously drew massive media coverage to their lawsuit when he subpoenaed Swift in May before later going on to just withdraw it ‘to much fanfare.’
Last week, a judge ruled Swift will now no longer by deposed by Baldoni’s lawyers
Her team urged the judge to reject his request as they argue they have not provided a new subpoena nor a proper explanation as to why they are attempting to drag Swift back into the legal matter again.
Lively’s team also noted that Swift is a non-party to the case and her schedule is ‘presumed to be packed with professional obligations for months in advance.’
A source tells Daily Mail: ‘The letter says it all, Taylor wants to be removed from all the Baldoni and Blake drama at all costs, as this is going to go on for years, and Taylor has no time for it, because she doesn’t feel she has ever been a part of it in the first place.
‘She has no time to be pissed about it; she is just disappointed that her name is even being brought up with the case, and the quicker she is removed the better.
‘She believes the courts will do the right thing and she will finally be removed from this as soon as possible, it is the only decision that she see fit to happen and needs to happen.”
This comes after it was ruled in June that Baldoni’s legal team could have access to messages between Lively and Swift.
E! News previously reported that judge ruled texts between Lively and Swift are ‘relevant’ to the case.
However, any correspondence between the pair will be under a protective order to stop them being leaked to the press.
Lively first filed her lawsuit in December 2024, in which she accused Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios team of sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni has denied all of the claims; seen in 2024
Initially, Swift was pulled into the legal drama earlier this year when Baldoni filed his now-dismissed $400 million countersuit against Lively and named the pop star in his documents.
In his countersuit, he said he met up with the actress at her New York City penthouse amid production for the movie but was blindsided when Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds and best friend Swift allegedly showed up to intimidate him.
In his legal documents, he also shared screenshots of text messages, in which Lively seemingly referred to Reynolds and Swift as her ‘dragons’ that ‘protect’ her.
Lively first filed her lawsuit in December 2024, in which she accused Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios team of sexual harassment and retaliation.
Baldoni has since denied all of the allegations.
Amid the legal battle, Swift and Lively reportedly had a falling out as the singer reportedly felt unfairly dragged into the legal drama.
The case, Blake Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC, et al, is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026, with all depositions due to be completed by September 30.
