Celebrity News

Blake Lively basically bent over backwards to save her shaky relationship with Taylor Swift just before suing Justin Baldoni ... a move that may have ensured her most powerful ally was in her corner before launching this long and chaotic legal battle.

In a December 2024 text thread, obtained by TMZ, Blake awkwardly reached out to Taylor to check in because she "felt like a bad friend lately."

And Taylor just straight up agrees with her ... "You're not wrong," she wrote.

Good thing Blake reached out!

According to Taylor's texts, there had been a cold shift in the way Blake talked to her, which made Taylor feel more like an employee than a friend.

Justin Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, is confident newly unsealed documents from Blake Lively's lawsuit against his client will end up clearing Baldoni's name ... especially in light of what a movie executive had to say about Blake.

Here's the deal ... newly filed legal docs show Sony Pictures executive Andrea Giannetti referred to Blake as a "f***ing terrorist" amid rising tensions on the "It Ends With Us" set.

Giannetti said she called Blake a "terrorist" in a comment to producer Jamey Heath ... lashing out at Blake after learning the actress threatened to walk away from the film unless a list of demands was met.

50 Cent has some sage advice for Ye  and Nicki Minaj ... stay the f*** away from religion and politics.

While promoting his new film, "Moses the Black," 50 -- who executive-produced the movie -- stressed that while the project dapples in religious themes, it should be looked at as pure entertainment.

50 told an audience at a recent screening ... "There's two things they tell you to stay away from. They tell you to stay away from religion and stay away from politics, because no matter what you think, someone passionately disagrees with you."

Prue Leith's been mulling over the best of the best bakers' creations while serving as a judge on "The Great British Bake Off" ... but her time on the show's coming to an end.

The restaurateur announced on Instagram Wednesday she's stepping away from the program, and she was clear she'll miss working with the show's cast and crew.

Prue did admit, though, she was excited about having more free time in the future ... though we're sure her dance card's already full.

Taylor Swift is spinning the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni beef to look like she got betrayed by her former BFF, Blake ... but it looks like Taylor was all-in on crapping on Baldoni.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Taylor texted Blake in early December 2024, referencing Baldoni and the upcoming New York Times hit piece ... with Taylor texting, "I think this bitch knows something is coming because he's gotten out his tiny violin."

The text message was revealed Tuesday as part of Blake's unsealed deposition.

Bianca Censori wasn’t about to let Kanye West get distracted by Sydney Sweeney ... so she turned date night into a full runway show to catch "The Housemaid."

Check the pics ... Bianca nearly stole the spotlight outside an L.A. theater Tuesday night in a barely-there strapless bodysuit perched over a tiny bra top, doing overtime to keep everything contained.

Bianca topped it off with sky-high, lace-up metallic heels that screamed "look at me" as she strutted along with Ye ... who was the polar opposite with a zero effort look.

Michelle Obama didn't have to dodge any of the usual kiss-and-tell on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast this week ... Alex opted to take the high road over grilling the former First Lady about her sex life, much to her own reluctance.

Michelle appeared Wednesday on the super popular podcast ... and Alex kicked off the interview by telling Michelle there were 2 separate paths they could go down.

On one hand, Alex said their convo could center around sex and relationships -- a nod to the OG roots of the show -- while on the other, they could focus on serious topics from a woman's POV, considering Michelle's stature in the world. And Alex pre-emptively chose option 2 ... with Michelle agreeing, brushing off any potential sex talk, light-heartedly saying that might be "sad."

"Get Real With Me" host Alix Earle lived up to her YouTube series name Tuesday night ... the influencer used her TikTok followers as an emotional-support boyfriend following her breakup from Braxton Berrios.

Turning the camera on herself mid-spiral, she announced, "I'm just going to start talking to you guys like you're my boyfriend."

As you know, Alix and Braxton split last month after 2 years together. Since then, she's been committed to remaining single for a while ... and it's apparently been rough.

She admitted, "I can't sleep right now ... I feel like just not having that stability of a male partner -- or just even someone to talk to or distract me -- is just so weird.”

In the video, Alix describes herself as a serial "boyfriend hopper," which has made it tough for her to be okay with flying solo.

Lizzo looked like a dolled-up Barbie at the Los Angeles premiere of Paris Hilton's "Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir" documentary Tuesday night ... showing off her dramatic weight loss in a skin-tight dress!

Check out the pics -- the singer is radiating confidence in a curve-hugging light pink mini dress paired with bedazzled heels. She elevated the pretty 'n pink look with a pair of sparkling hoop earrings that brightened up the pink carpet thanks to her half-up, half-down hairstyle.

Lizzo looked like she had a grand ol' time at the premiere ... watching the doc seated next to Paris herself with Demi Lovato on the other side. Other A-listers supporting the night's star included Heidi Klum, Carmen Electra, and more -- just check out our gall!

A source connected to Justin's legal team tells TMZ ... it would be next to impossible to serve Taylor with a summons, and the text messages speak for themselves, so they won't need her as a witness.

Taylor Swift may have dodged depositions in Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, but she will 100% be called as a witness by Baldoni if the case goes to trial ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge told us ... given the now-clear involvement of Taylor Swift in the raging dispute between Baldoni and Lively, the singer will be called to the stand to download the jury.

What's more ... we're told Baldoni will call Swift as a hostile witness. Translation: Taylor clearly had a bias against Baldoni, so his lawyer, Bryan Freedman, can really put her on the hot seat by asking leading questions.

Taylor Swift just locked in a massive career win, getting inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame ... and making history as the youngest woman to ever do it!

And yeah, this is all happening while she’s knee-deep in that Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni texting mess ... but professionally, the 36-year-old is flying high after landing a spot on one of music’s most elite lists ... a long way from signing her first publishing deal at just 14.

Taylor, who recently dropped her 12th studio album, "The Life Of A Showgirl," has more than earned this honor ... and just to spell it out, she’s stacked up 13 No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts along the way.

Here's how twisted Jeffrey Epstein was ... his birthday was little more than another reason to victimize young women, at least according to one of the Congressmen pushing for the release of Epstein photos and docs.

The late pedophile would have turned 73 on Tuesday, and Rep. Suhas Subramanyam -- a Democrat from Virginia who sits on the House Oversight Committee -- tells TMZ, Epstein's birthday is "probably a very difficult day for many women."

Subramanyam says that for a specific reason ... telling us, "It's clear from the evidence that Epstein used his birthday as an excuse to traffic and take advantage of girls."

Meghan Trainor and Daryl Sabara are expanding their family ... because they have a baby girl at home ... and she was born via surrogate.

The singer and actor now have three children together ... and their newborn is named Mikey Moon Trainor.

In a social media post announcing her daughter, Meghan says ... "Our baby girl Mikey Moon Trainor has finally made it to the world thanks to our incredible, superwoman surrogate."

Andy Serkis is dropping hints about the cast for a new movie in 'The Lord of the Rings' franchise ... and it sounds like he went to bat to get the band back together.

We got the guy who plays Gollum in the 'LOTR' trilogy at LAX on Tuesday and asked about the new movie he's directing and starring in, "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum."

Andy's reprising his role as Gollum and Ian McKellen is returning as Gandalf, with Elijah Wood expected back as Frodo Baggins ... and while Andy didn't want to give too much away as far as cast, he did go on the record saying he "loved" the OG cast, which also featured Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom.

Fetty Wap is in full doting-dad mode after getting out of prison ... reuniting with his daughter Khari -- and TMZ’s got the very first pic from their emotional reunion.

Sources close to the fam tell us Fetty spent all of last week bonding with Khari -- the daughter he shares with ex Masika -- and it’s safe to say she was over the moon to have her dad back. Fetty was also kicking it with Masika’s younger daughter Amari, who she had with her late husband, Jamar Champ.

We’re told 9-year-old Khari was so happy it actually made Masika cry. The whole crew rolled up to the studio with Fetty, grabbed food, did some shopping, and Khari even met all of her siblings -- Fetty’s 5 other kids -- for the very first time, and everybody got along great.

We know all you Harry Styles fans out there have been waiting a good long while for new music, and we're happy to say your patience will be rewarded soon ... because he's finally dropping a new single!

The former One Direction member posted a photo on Instagram Tuesday to let his fans know his new single, "Aperture," is set for midnight release tonight in the UK ... 7 PM/ET and 4 PM/PT in the U.S.

Harry flashed a big smile and waved his arms in the air in the promo pic ... and we're sure all of his fans are doing the same!