Justin Baldoni heats up ‘It Ends With Us’ legal battle, bringing movie’s insurers to court

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Justin Baldoni’s name is not going to be out of the courtroom anytime soon.

For several months, the filmmaker involved in the legal disputes surrounding his upcoming movie “It Ends With Us” due for release in 2024, has decided to take legal action against the insurance companies that declined to pay for litigation expenses related to the film.

On July 30th, a lawsuit was initiated in the Los Angeles Superior Court by Alec Baldwin and his production company, Wayfarer Studios. They allege that three insurance companies violated their contractual obligations by refusing to cover costs for a lawsuit filed against Baldwin’s co-star, Blake Lively, in December.

This development adds a new twist to an existing complex conflict, involving additional entities aiming to determine which parties should cover escalating attorney fees.

In the lawsuit, three insurance firms – New York Marine, QBE Insurance Group Limited, and certain underwriters at Lloyd’s – are involved. These companies had sold policies to Wayfarer, assuring them protection against lawsuits similar to Lively’s, which alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, and various other charges. In essence, they guaranteed to defend and compensate Wayfarer and its executives for such legal actions.

Executives from Wayfarer Studios, namely Steve Sarowitz and Jamey Heath, along with Baldoni, have jointly filed a lawsuit against the insurance companies, while also being named as defendants in Lively’s case.

Last year, a significant legal dispute connected to the novel “It Ends With Us” arose following a heated media promotional tour and persistent speculation about a disagreement between Baldoni and Lively.

In the initial lawsuit she filed, Lively claimed that Baldoni and his group were behind a defamatory campaign against her following her allegations of on-set sexual harassment.

Baldoni has responded with a $400 million lawsuit, claiming that Lively’s unfounded accusations have significantly damaged his professional standing, public image, and private life, adding fuel to the ongoing intense legal dispute between them.

In June, the judge threw out Baldoni’s counterclaim, arguing that it fell short of meeting the necessary legal requirements, which was a blow to his team. However, this courtroom dispute between Hollywood heavyweights continues to captivate spectators as one of the most intriguing legal battles in recent history.

Following a recent attempt by Harco National Insurance, another party involved in the film’s insurance, to withdraw from the complicated legal dispute, Baldoni and his team have now filed a new lawsuit.

In July, I initiated a legal action in a federal court in New York, requesting a clear judgment that I am not obligated to cover the legal expenses of the production company or its executives. In this lawsuit, I assert that the alleged sexual harassment by Baldoni, as claimed by Lively, took place prior to the activation dates of my policy. Furthermore, I argue that Wayfarer failed to bring potential issues to light beforehand that could have resulted in claims.

In the recently filed lawsuit, it is stated that the combined insurance coverage of the three mentioned insurers amounts to at least $8 million. The lawsuit further asserts that the expenses related to the legal battle ought to have been included under the terms of these policies.

Each insurance company wrote to Wayfarer rejecting coverage, and Baldoni and his team allege that these insurers either failed to perform a substantial investigation into the claim before making the rejection, or that they invoked irrelevant exceptions to the policy instead.

As a film enthusiast putting this into my own words, I’d rephrase it as follows: When contacted about the ongoing legal matter, representatives from each involved party remained silent, except for Lloyd’s, who informed me that they are unable to discuss specific insurance policies or policyholders due to their confidential nature. Furthermore, they cannot provide comments on issues under litigation.

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The recent progress in this prolonged disagreement might influence the future actions of Wayfarer and Baldoni, as escalating legal expenses persist.

In simpler terms, Greg Doll, a lawyer specializing in entertainment law who works at the firm Doll Amir & Eley in Los Angeles, mentioned that most lawsuits like this one typically get resolved prior to going to court. However, he suggested that the Lively lawsuit might be an exception to this rule.

In exceptional situations, things can become deeply personal, leading to public humiliation, public criticism, and ultimately, a matter of upholding principles, as stated by Doll.

Baldoni’s team has substantial financial resources at their disposal. It’s been reported that Wayfarer Studios is covering the costs in the ongoing lawsuit involving Lively. Furthermore, as per Lively’s latest claim, Sarowitz, a key figure at Wayfarer and a prominent investor who also founded Paylocity, was quoted as saying he was willing to spend up to $100 million with the intention of damaging Lively and her family, according to Lively.

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Doll stated that unlike other firms which heavily rely on insurance as they possess no personal assets, this company seems to be in a different position, not appearing to face the same level of fear.

Given escalating legal costs and the increasing intricacy of the case, it’s prudent to investigate potential insurance coverage for Baldoni’s team, Doll stated, despite their substantial resources. Absent such coverage, the negotiations become significantly more complicated, he noted.

Doll stated that for them, it turns into a unique decision-making process regarding how much of their own funds they’re ready to invest as a settlement, or how much risk they’re prepared to take on by battling, understanding that their money could potentially be at risk.

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2025-08-05 23:31