Bond girl Eva Green blames ‘Frenchness’ for ‘rude’ messages sent to bosses of doomed sci-fi film, High Court hears
30 January 2023, 12:50 | Updated: 30 January 2023, 16:08
Bond girl Eva Green told the High Court today that her ‘Frenchness’ was to blame for abusive messages she sent to bosses of a doomed sci-fi film.
Confronted with a message calling the director and producer of A Patriot "weak and stupid", Eva Green blamed it on her "Frenchness coming out".
She told the court she didn’t want to appear in a 's***** B-movie' that could have killed her career.
Giving evidence in a £4m legal battle over the film, she said she didn’t ‘care about the money’ and that she lives ‘to make good films’.
She is suing production company White Lantern Films, claiming she is entitled to her $1million (£810,000) fee for the movie, despite it being cancelled.
She told the court that production problems led her to fear the film would be a ’s***** B-movie’.
“When you appear in a B movie you are labelled as a B actress. It could kill my career,” she said.
The 42-year-old star, famed for her role alongside Daniel Craig in 007 film Casino Royale, claims she's owed a $1m (£810,000) fee after A Patriot was shut down in October 2019.
It follows evidence in the form of text messages from one of the film's producers, claiming the Hollywood star "would rather eat tumours" than make the movie.
Eva Green arrives in court for legal action against White Lantern Films
The cost of the case, which is being brought against production company White Lantern Films, is now thought to exceed $4 million.
Arriving in court dressed in black and wearing large sunglasses, Green claims she has been unfairly painted as a "diva" by the production.
White Lantern Films is defending the case, as well as bringing a counterclaim against Green, alleging the French star made "unreasonable demands" that ultimately undermined the film's production.
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Monday marks the third day of the trial, with Ms Green due to enter the witness box.
On Thursday, Max Mallin KC, representing White Lantern, claimed Ms Green had an "animosity" towards the vision of the film described by executive producer Jake Seal.
Mallin said that exchanges between the star's agent and the film's director also branded production manager Terry Bird a "f****** moron', and local crew members as 'sh***y peasants... from Hampshire".
However, Ms Green's barrister, Edmund Cullen KC, said the case was simply "designed to paint my client as a diva to win headlines and damage her reputation".
Giving evidence today, the film's writer and director Dan Pringle reflected on messages he sent after it was announced the film's finances were being restructured.
Mr Pringle said in a text that he, Ms Green and producer Adam Merrifield were discussing if they wished "to proceed with the new structure” - with comparisons drawn between their project and that of a second-rate 'B-movie'.
He added in the message: “As of right now, obviously all three of us would rather eat tumours”.
In court today, Mr Pringle said:"I regret saying that, as I shouldn’t be speaking on behalf of Adam and Eva'.
