‘It's Not What it Was’

Former besties Taylor Swift and Blake Lively have grown apart amid Lively's legal battle. Insiders share more about their rift and whether there's a road to forgiveness

- BY JAIME HARKIN

An insider says the falling out has been "painful" for Swift: "Blake was one of her closest friends."

On May 1, Ryan Reynolds helped the beloved rock band Green Day celebrate their new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a heartfelt speech about their musical impact. When the Deadpool star made his way to some waiting fans to sign autographs, a photographer in the crowd began pestering him with questions about his friendship with Taylor Swift's NFL star boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who recently appeared to unfollow Reynolds on Instagram. The actor ignored the inquiries before eventually walking away.

Kelce’s apparent social media snub is the latest development in the seemingly deepening rift between Reynolds’ wife, Blake Lively, and Swift, her longtime bestie. In December, Lively sued her It Ends with Us director Justin Baldoni over claims of sexual harassment; he countersued Lively and Reynolds for defamation. Swift was dragged into the case when Baldoni claimed in court docs that Lively used her superstar pal to persuade him to allow script changes to the movie. Now, Swift — who could be subpoenaed for a trial set to begin next March — is keeping her distance from Lively. “Taylor and Blake have talked, but it’s strained,” says an insider, adding that they're no longer speaking on a regular basis. “Their friendship is not what it used to be.”

Party Girls Lively was a key member of Swift's girl squad, often attending the singer's holiday parties, including this 2019 NYE gathering where they dressed up as their childhood heroes.

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