Fawcett’s Estate Sues Over Documentary
By WENNSaturday, January 23, 2010
Lawyers representing FARRAH FAWCETT’s estate are suing the man who was hired to make the documentary charting the late star’s battle with anal cancer.
In a suit filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday (22Jan10), representatives of the estate allege filmmaker Craig Nevius embezzled thousands of dollars and “sensationalised” the Charlie’s Angels star’s story in the footage he produced, according to the papers obtained by TMZ.com.
Fawcett’s lawyers slate Nevius’ documentary as “amateurish and sensationalised, and looked like tabloid journalism, which was not at all what Ms. Fawcett wanted.”
They also claim Nevius sought “misplaced revenge” after the actress rejected his work, by allegedly revealing private and personal information about Fawcett, giving out footage without her consent and embezzling cash from the trust she had set up for the film.
Nevius has already launched his own lawsuit against Fawcett’s partner Ryan O’Neal, claiming he was forced out of the project. Nevius alleges he made a deal with Fawcett in 2004 to document her life, claiming he worked with the actress for two years up until her cancer diagnosis in 2006, when a group including O’Neal and Fawcett’s friend Alana Stewart “began to take actions to wrongfully interfere with Nevius’ contractual relationship with Ms. Fawcett.”
Nevius accuses O’Neal of physically threatening him and demanding he relinquish his control of the company producing the documentary.
Fawcett’s business manager Richard Francis was also listed as a defendant.
O’Neal and Stewart hit back at Nevius’ claim for damages, criticising him for making “horrific” accusations and chastising him for taking legal action during such a trying period for the ailing actress.
The estate is seeking unspecified damages.
