Although the pair were once close friends, the It Ends With Us controversy has reportedly put a strain on the relationship between Blake Lively and the Anti-Hero singer causing her to shun the event.

Taylor Swift’s recent absence from SNL50 has sparked fresh questions about the state of her friendship with Blake Lively .

Although the pair was once close friends, the It Ends With Us controversy has reportedly put a strain on their relationship. Swift has not commented publicly on the matter, but sources have claimed that she is seeking to distance herself from her one-time friend Lively.

Sources have suggested that Taylor Swift’s desire to avoid an awkward encounter with Blake Lively caused her to reportedly turn down an invitation to the SNL 50th Anniversary Special.

Speaking to the Daily Mail , the insiders claim Swift has made an effort to distance herself from Lively in recent months. The Anti-Hero singer reportedly had no interest in showing up at the event, which had both Lively and Kim Kardashian on the guest list.

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Taylor Swift was unexpectedly pulled into the controversy around the filming of It Ends With Us which saw Lively embroiled in a legal battle with director Justin Baldoni when text messages alluding to her surfaced in his lawsuit.

Swift has reportedly been taking a step back from friendships that bring unnecessary drama into her life, the Daily Mail insider said. “Taylor is taking stock of which of her friends are good for her and who name drops her for personal gain after Blake-gate,” she added.

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Swift is focusing on her career now, they added, and avoiding distractions while she prepared for her next album release. The two friends have not been seen together in public for over three months. The last time they were spotted out and about together was during a double date with Ryan Reynolds and Travis Kelce in October last year.

A source told Page Six that the singer “feels like a pawn” in the dispute and has opted to remove herself from the ongoing drama entirely. While she has not addressed the situation publicly, her absence from SNL50 has only added to speculation that relations between the two friends may have cooled lately.