Background
A British court has awarded French actor Eva Green $1 million after a dispute over a sci-fi thriller film project called “A Patriot.” The film’s production company, White Lantern Film, accused the actor of making “excessive creative and financial demands” and torpedoing the production. On the other hand, Green accused the producers of employing “bully-boy tactics” and portraying her as a diva in the press.
Court Ruling
Despite the abuse and drama surrounding the case, High Court judge Justice Michael Green deemed it “relatively straightforward” and awarded Green the fee she had been promised for the production, which folded in 2019. The judge dismissed a countersuit brought by White Lantern Film, saying that Green had not renounced or breached her obligations and was entitled to her 810,000-pound fee.
Green’s Statement
Green, who played Vesper Lynd in the 2006 version of the James Bond thriller “Casino Royale,” said her professional reputation had been upheld after she stood up to a small group of wealthy men who employed “bully-boy tactics” to use her as a scapegoat for their failures. However, her lengthy statement also exposed her fragility in the face of criticism, and the hurt she felt from what she claimed was misreporting in the press.
“There are few things the media enjoys more than tearing a woman to pieces,” Green said. “It felt like being set upon by hounds; I found myself misrepresented, quoted out of context and my desire to make the best possible film was made to look like female hysteria. It was cruel and it was untrue.”
The Case
Green said she “fell in love” with the script for “A Patriot” and its environmental message but became increasingly concerned as corners were cut and production was moved from Ireland to England. During the trial, the court was told that Green used an expletive when describing potential crew members as “peasants.” She had said executive producer Jake Seal was “evil,” a “devious sociopath,” and a “madman,” and dubbed production manager Terry Bird, a “moron.”
While Justice Green favored Eva Green, he gave poor reviews to both sides in his 71-page ruling.
“For such a perfectionist in her art, she was surprisingly under-prepared for her evidence,” he wrote, calling the actor “in some senses a frustrating and unsatisfactory witness.”
White Lantern Film’s Response
White Lantern Film said Green’s “gender-based bullying” claim was “completely unwarranted.” The firm and fellow litigant SMC Specialty Finance said they were “carefully considering our options for potential next steps, including appeal.”
“Eva Green filed a lawsuit to be paid $1 million for a film which was not made and for which she did not provide any acting services,” they said in a statement.
Green’s Concern
“When an actor has appeared in a B movie, they are labeled as a B actor, you never get offered quality work ever again,” she testified
FAQs
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- Who is Eva Green?
Eva Green is a French actress and model. She is known for her roles in films such as “The Dreamers,” “Casino Royale,” “Dark Shadows,” and “Penny Dreadful.”
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- What was the dispute about?
The dispute was over a film project called “A Patriot,” for which Green had been promised a fee of £810,000. The film project ultimately collapsed, and Green filed a lawsuit to be paid for the work she had already done. However, the film’s producers claimed that Green had made excessive creative and financial demands and torpedoed the production.
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- What was the outcome of the dispute?
Eva Green was awarded the fee she had been promised for her work on the film, totaling $1 million. The court dismissed the countersuit brought by the film’s producers.
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- What did Eva Green say about the media’s portrayal of her during the dispute?
Green expressed her frustration with the media’s coverage of the dispute, saying she felt misrepresented, misquoted, and taken out of context. She also claimed that the media had engaged in gender-based bullying, which she found both cruel and untrue.
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- Did the judge have any criticisms of Eva Green during the trial?
While Justice Green favored Eva Green, he criticized her preparedness as a witness, calling her “in some senses a frustrating and unsatisfactory witness.” The judge also criticized Green’s use of derogatory language to describe some crew members and found her explanation that it was due to her “Frenchness” inadequate and not credible.
Source: GulfNews
