They’ve been friends for 10 years – in fact their friendship has long been considered one of Hollywood’s tightest.

But when Taylor Swift (35) showed up at the Super Bowl last weekend to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, there was no Blake Lively (37) in her VIP posse of close friends.

The former Gossip Girl star’s absence only served to strengthen the rumours the two have fallen out.

The reason? Blake’s messy multi-million dollar legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni (41), which has seen Taylor’s name dragged in.

In December Blake made headlines when she sensationally sued Justin for sexual harassment and workplace safety concerns during the making of the movie.

He promptly hit back with his own $400 million countersuit, accusing Blake and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, of attempting to hijack the movie and create their own narrative by changing scenes and the script.

Both sides are citing evidence, based largely on exchanged emails and texts.

Taylor Swift surrounded by friends including Ice Spice (far left) and Blake Lively (far right) at the 2024 Super Bowl in New Orleans. (PHOTO: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Taylor with Ice Spice – and no Blake – at this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans. (PHOTO: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The pop star also invited her girl friends from the group Haim. (PHOTO: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

In one such exchange Jason says Blake used her friendship with the pop star to threaten him into changing the film’s script.

In it Blaken compares herself to the Netflix series Game of Thrones character Khaleesi (queen of dragons) and says she’s protected by her “dragons”, widely believed to be her husband and the Grammy-winning singer.

“If you ever get around to watching Game of Thrones you’ll appreciate that I’m Khaleesi, and like her, I happen to have a few dragons,” read Blake’s alleged text to Baldoni, as per his complaint.

“For better or worse but usually for better. Because my dragons also protect those I fight for. So really we all benefit from those gorgeous monsters of mine. You will too, I can promise you.”

It Ends With Us director and actor Justin Baldoni. (PHOTO: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Blake Lively at the London premiere of It Ends With Us in August last year. She refused to walk the red carpet with co-star Justin Baldoni. (PHOTO: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Insiders say despite their long friendship, Taylor “can’t help but feel used” by her pal, who hasn’t been seen publicly since filing her lawsuit.

“She wants to keep out of this drama as much as possible,” a source tells Page Six. “Taylor really wishes Blake hadn’t dragged her into this whole situation.”

The Cruel Summer singer is normally very outspoken in promoting her friends’ projects but has remained tight-lipped about promoting It Ends With Us.

When the movie – which is centred on an abusive relationship between a neurosurgeon and a florist – premiered in August last year she didn’t encourage fans to go see it as she did with her pal Zoë Kravitz’s Blink Twice, for example.

‘Taylor cherishes genuine friendships, but she can’t help but feel used at this point’
– Insider

While working on the film Blake also reportedly insisted on rewriting the rooftop scene.

She invited Justin to her New York home where the actor says he felt pressured into using her version of the script as her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds was there as well as the Grammy winner.

With the case set to go to court next year Justin’s attorney Bryan Freedman hasn’t ruled out the idea of summonsing Taylor to testify, telling TMZ’s it is a “game time decision”, adding he would seek testimony from anyone who may have relevant information.

A source says Taylor was in no way involved in the production of the movie.

“She wasn’t a producer and had no creative involvement.”

‘Taylor has always been Blake’s friend, but Taylor doesn’t have any involvement in the case. She wasn’t part of the movie’
– Insider

Despite this it appears the legal drama has cast a shadow on their friendship.

Taylor is godmother to three of Blake’s daughters, whose names she even included in her song Betty from the album Folklore – James, Inez and Betty.

The two have also worked together with Blake directing Taylor’s music video for her song I Bet You Think About Me.

Blake and Ryan attended Taylor’s Fourth of July party in 2016 when the singer was dating Tom Hiddleston.

In December 2018 Blake was at Taylor’s costume party with pictures from the night also showing Taylor and Ryan drinking bottles of his Aviation brand gin.

Last year at the Superbowl they were inseparable as they cheered on Taylor’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his team, the Kansas City Chief. This year Blake was nowhere to be seen.

As speculation swirled an insider was quoted as saying, “She and Ryan are keeping a low profile at the moment.”