While the lawsuit opposing actress Eva Green to the production of the aborted film A Patriotcontinues in London, the film’s executive producer describes the actress as “very difficult, if not impossible to manage”.
Eva Green was “increasingly difficult, if not impossible to manage,” executive producer Alastair Burlingham said on Friday, giving evidence in writing at the ongoing trial in London between the production of the sci-fi film To Patriot, dropped out in 2019, and the French actress.
“I had the impression in July 2019, based on my calls with Mr Merrifield [producteur du film, ndlr]that Ms. Green was increasingly difficult, if not impossible to deal with, that she exhibited erratic and diva-like behavior, and based on communications with both producers, that she appeared to be emotionally fragile and susceptible to mishaps. self-destruct or lose interest,” writes Alastair Burlingham.
The 42-year-old actress, star of Casino Royale in 2006, was to star in the film before production was halted in October 2019. She is suing the production company, White Lantern Films, to obtain, despite the project’s cancellation, her one million dollar fee (918,000 euros) .
“I have never broken a contract”
Alastair Burlingham believes that the delays in the film’s production were “largely caused by Ms Green”.
The actress assures for her part in a written testimony: “In the 20 years that I have been making films, I have never broken a contract or even missed a day of filming.”
The actress’ lawyer, Edmund Cullen, told the judges that Eva Green “bent over backwards” to make the project happen because it dealt with a “matter that concerns her a great deal, namely the climatic disaster.
But lawyers for White Lantern Films believe that the French actress expressed “lack of trust and dissatisfaction” with members of the production team. She was “increasingly reluctant to get involved”, in violation of the contract.
“Asshole Finished”
They justify their accusations based on WhatsApp messages in which Eva Green allegedly called a member of the production team “evil”, “devious sociopath”, “liar and crazy”. She also reportedly called production manager Terry Bird a “moron” and “a finished asshole.”
Asked about the fact that she would have qualified in a message to her agent as “weak” and “stupid” producer Adam Merrifield and screenwriter Dan Pringle, Eva Green replied that she could have made insulting remarks under the influence of emotion , apologizing for his “inappropriate remarks”.
“I don’t know (…) it’s my French side that sometimes comes out,” she said. “Sometimes I say things out of emotion that I don’t really mean. Of course they’re not weak or stupid.”
