James Bond star Eva Green on Friday won a court case in the UK over her $1 million (£810,000) acting fee for the never-made science fiction film “A Patriot”.
The French actress had sued UK-based production company White Lantern Film at the High Court in London for the fee but the firm countersued, saying she derailed the £4-million project by making “unreasonable demands”.
Judge Michael Green ruled the 42-year-old actress was entitled to the sum and dismissed the counter-claim.
“In particular, I find that Ms Green did not renounce her obligations under the artist agreement; nor did she commit any repudiatory breaches of it,” the judge said.
Green, famous for her role as Vesper Lynd in 2006 Bond film “Casino Royale”, was due to play a soldier.
She signed up to the project in 2018, but became increasingly uneasy as funding issues meant that UK producer Jake Seal began to assume more control.
The star attended a trial in January, where messages between her and production staff were read out.
At one point, she blamed her “Frenchness” for calling a film director “weak and stupid”.
Green said in a statement on Friday that her “professional reputation has been upheld.”
“I fought tooth and nail to defend the beautiful film that I loved and had signed on for. I stood my ground, and this time, justice prevailed,” she said.
“I wish I could say that this ordeal has made me stronger, better, wiser. But to have my personal life dragged through the press and the court was more painful and damaging than I can say.”
Max Mallin, lawyer for White Lantern, argued during the trial that Green had shown a “categorical and unequivocal refusal to perform” and repeatedly made “unreasonable demands”.
Green told the court that “I don’t care about the money. I live to make good films. It’s my religion.”
The actress was also angry that production was shifting from Ireland to Black Hangar studios in southern England.
“I need my team around me so that I can handle anything evil Jake (Seal) throws at me”, she messaged her agent.
“My team will have to pull out and I will be obliged to take his shitty peasant crew members” from nearby Hampshire, she added.
Green claims that she was not given enough training for the role and accused the producers of “cutting corners”.
“Look at what happened with Alec Baldwin on the movie ‘Rust’,” she told the court.
