26 January 2023 , 21:41
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Actress Eva Green claimed a legal battle over the collapse of a £4 million film project is 'designed to paint her as a diva', the High Court has heard.
The 42-year-old star was meant to take on the leading role in the sci-fi project A Patriot before production of the film was shut down in October 2019.
She is suing production company White Lantern Films, and claimed she is entitled to her million-dollar (around £810,000) fee for the project even though it was cancelled.
The actress was also an executive producer on the movie and claimed she is entitled to the payment if the movie was cancelled under a so-called 'pay or play' provision.
Meanwhile, the production company is defending itself and counterclaims Ms Green made 'unreasonable demands' and reportedly undermined the movie's production.
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The company is claiming the $1m (£806,000) fee as well as seeking damages against Ms Green.
Barrister Edmund Cullen KC told the court at the beginning of the eight-day trial that Ms Green wanted to get the movie created but 'the financial plan was never going to work'.
He explained: “This was, for her, a passion project. The theme of the film concerns an issue of great concern to her, namely the climate catastrophe.
Ms Green said the case was designed to 'paint her as a diva' (Getty Images)
She is suing production company White Lantern Films (PA)“She loved the script and wanted the film to be made, she bent over backwards to get this done.”
Lawyers for the production company said in their written defence that Ms Green showed a 'lack of confidence and dissatisfaction' with some members of the production crew.
Max Mallin KC, for White Lantern, claimed she was “increasingly reluctant to be involved in the production”, in breach of contract.
White Lantern's claim also involved text messages where Ms Green is said to call one of the movie's executive producers, Jake Seal, 'evil', a 'devious sociopath' and a 'liar and a madman.'
She also called Seal a 'moron' and 'pure vomit'.
It is claimed that she called the production manager, Terry Bird, a 'f***ing moron' and called both men 'total arseholes'.
Mr Cullen told the court that the claims were made to paint Ms Green 'as a diva'.
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The 42-year-old star was meant to take on the leading role in sci-fi project A Patriot (Getty Images For Disney Studios)
She was also executive producer (Getty Images)He said: "This case is designed to paint my client as a diva to win headlines and damage her reputation."
Mr Cullen told how it was 'extraordinary' that the actress was met with a case that 'she was somehow trying to undermine the project all along by making unreasonable demands.'
He added: “She repeatedly agreed to postpone the start of principal photography. She agreed to the move of the production from Ireland to the UK. She made repeated offers to use part of her fee to fund the production costs.”
In written submissions, he added that the production company's defence to the case was “an artificial construct which bears no reality to the factual and legal position as it existed at the time”.
“It seems to be designed to blacken the name of an actor who has not breached a contract or missed a day’s shooting in a career spanning 20 years,” he explained.
The production company claimed she had a 'lack of confidence and dissatisfaction' with some members of the production crew (AFP/Getty Images)
The actress is known for her role in Casino Royale (Publicity Picture)He also said the message needed to 'be seen in context' of negotiations over buying out a lender to White Lantern in return for rights to the script.
Mr Cullen continued: They are in essence an informal venting of a stream of consciousness as events unfolded.
“The language is unguarded and at times strongly, and perhaps carelessly, expressed.
“They are contradictory and volatile, reflecting the personalities of those involved and the extreme tension surrounding the film’s production.”
He claimed the production company has aimed to 'lay every failure of the production at Ms Green's door'.
Mr Justice Michael Green is expected to give his decision at a later date.