Eva Green wanted to pretend she was hospitalised with a rash so she could avoid filming “shitty B-Movie” The Patriot, a court has heard.
Newly disclosed WhatsApp messages from the Casino Royale star brought the information to light during her ongoing legal battle with production company White Lantern, who she is suing over the collapsed sci-fi project.
In a message in September 2019, she asked her agent (via The Guardian): “IF they come back to you and say they are going to go ahead with the movie, what can we say…? Could we say this situation has made me ill over the weekend? We could say I had to go to hospital as I had a serious rash all over my body?”
Green then asked her agent if a doctor might help the claim, the high court in London was told.
The message was referred to during closing arguments on Tuesday (March 14) by Max Mallin KC, the legal counsel for production company White Lantern Films.
Mallin said Green was so concerned about having to perform in the film that she suggested her agent, Charles Collier, “invent a story about Ms Green being hospitalised”.
They added that Green also “appeared to contemplate faking a broken arm” to avoid performing.
Green is suing White Lantern Films and SMC Speciality finance for a $1m (£807,000) fee over the collapsed project, claiming she is still owed the payment under the terms of her “pay or play” contract.
White Lantern, meanwhile, claim that Green undermined the project and walked away, causing it to collapse.
On the first day of the court case, communications between Green and other individuals –including her agent – were disclosed. In them, she described the project as a “B-shitty-movie” and referred to lead producer, Jake Seal, as “evil” and “the devil”. She also labelled the crew “shitty peasants”.
The closing argument on behalf of White Lantern Films claimed that Green’s evidence was “unconvincing and at times appeared to be rehearsed”.
In the closing submission made on Green’s behalf, her lawyers said: “EG is a professional actor who has not breached a contract in a 20-year career. She had been advised by Mr Collier as to the consequences – namely a huge claim for damages such as that which she has had to confront. Moreover, such a course would be career threatening.”
Last month, Green told the court she was “humiliated” to have her private WhatsApp messages disclosed.
