Beyonce Reaches Settlement With Disgruntled Neighbour
By WENNWednesday, September 8, 2010
BEYONCE has settled a lawsuit with a disgruntled Hollywood local after he complained his privacy was disrupted when the R&B superstar filmed a music video in his quiet neighbourhood.
Philip Markowitz took legal action against Beyonce and the bosses of production firm Kleiner & Company in May (10) following the shoot for Why Don’t You Love Me, which took place in March (10).
He claimed he had been rudely awoken at 7am when the film crew arrived in the exclusive Mount Olympus community in the Hollywood Hills and “invaded his neighbourhood”.
He also alleged he was repeatedly prevented from leaving his property and found members of the crew blocking his driveway whenever he stepped out of his house.
Markowitz sued on the grounds of private nuisance and trespass but the case never made it to court - he agreed to drop the suit in exchange for a five-figure monetary settlement.
And Markowitz hopes the legal battle will serve as a warning to other production companies looking to film in his neighbourhood.
He tells TMZ.com, “I’m happy with the settlement, but this lawsuit shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
“They set up on my property without asking and (the settlement) should send a notice to other production companies that they need to respect the rights of property owners.”