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Movie producers and Evan Rachel Wood square off on the issue of her dropping out of a film after its production was delayed.
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There is nothing new about disputes between actors and producers over the filming of movies. Such conflicts sometimes come as the result of delays in filming, especially when the actor has another obligation. Some actors even have it written into their contracts that they will be paid in full if there is a postponement in filming, even if they then leave the project because of it.
10 Things Films LLC, the company behind the as yet to be released film 10 Things I hate About Life, is suing Evan Rachel Wood and As You Wish Productions for $30 million for breach of contract. The suit claims that the actress failed to fulfill her contractual obligation to complete the filming of the much delayed project. As You Wish is the company which provided Wood’s services for the film.
The official complaint states that the, “Plaintiff has suffered significant and extensive damages and financial harm, including, but not limited to, the loss of, at a minimum, $6, 000, 000.00 in equity investments, costs and related expenses in the Picture financing costs and expenses in the amount of, at a minimum, $500, 000.00, lost profits in the amount of, at a minimum, $20, 000, 000.00 and additional general and special damages in the amount of $5, 000, 000.00.”
Wood, for her part, accuses the film’s producers of engaging in “bullying tactics” since they shut down production due to financial problems.
According to the law suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Wood accepted and kept $300, 000 in pay and then refused to complete the movie after having “seemingly changed her mind” about it.
The dispute results from a suspension of the filming of Ms. Wood’s part of the movie in January of last year. Four of a planned seven weeks of shooting were completed before an unexpected delay. When production was resumed on February 8th, 2013, Wood claimed that she could not continue until November for “personal reasons.”
When November 2013 came, Wood declined to return to the project claiming that she had already fulfilled her contractual obligations.
10 Things Films further alleges that Wood demanded more money before she would even consider returning to finish the picture, money which they did pay her. Wood, however, according to the suit still refused to complete the film or even participate in any publicity and promotion.
In a public statement, Wood’s representatives dismissed the validity of the lawsuit, saying, “The lawsuit is preposterous and simply a bullying tactic from financially troubled producers. The production shut down in February 2013 when the producers ran out of money. Even after that, Evan agreed to resume production in Nov. 2013 by which time the producers said they would have cleared up their issues. However, the producers still could not get their act together, nor did they pay Evan money that was owed. Repeated subsequent promises by the producers to resume production and pay Evan also turned out to be false. Enough is enough. The producers, not Evan, have breached contract.”
Evan Rachel Wood, 26, has starred in television shows like True Blood and movies like, Thirteen. This year she can be seen in a new movie called Barefoot.
10 Things I Hate About Life is a romantic comedy about a boy and girl who meet and fall in love just when they are about to kill themselves. Their shared experiences and similar emotional states form a bond between them into happiness and takes them on a rollercoaster ride of young love in a world where emotions run high.
The movie is a sequel/spinoff of 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You.
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