Screen legend Olivia de Havilland, who turned 101 this week, is celebrating her birthday in the most dramatic way possible – suing the hell out of Ryan Murphy Productions over her portrayal in the recent drama series Feud.
The first season of Feud, an anthology show, focused on the battle between Hollywood actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and the character of Olivia de Havilland was played by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
According to the filing, which also names the FX network, the show “puts words in the mouth of Miss de Havilland which are inaccurate and contrary to the reputation she has built.”
While de Havilland is the only key personality from Feud who is still alive, she says she was not consulted about her true story, which is troubling in light of the fact that the series was promoted “to look as if it was reality.”
The actress is particularly upset with a scene that shows her spreading malicious gossip about Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and another that puts her relationship with her own sister, actress Joan Fontaine, in a negative light.
In that scene, which takes place during the fifth episode of the show:
“Zeta-Jones’ Havilland refers to Joan Fontaine as her ‘bitch sister,’ an offensive term that stands in stark contrast with Olivia de Havilland’s reputation for good manners, class, and kindness … [she] did not, and does not, engage in such vulgarity.”
Per reports in Variety, Ms de Havilland is suing for common law right of publicity, statutory right of publicity, unjust enrichment, and invasion of privacy.
She is also seeking damages for emotional distress and to recover profits gained by the network for the use of her likeness, as well as an injunction barring FX from continued use of said likeness.
The next season of Feud is set to be about Prince Charles and Princess Diana, but to be honest, this would be a way better story.
Source: Variety.
Photo: Tony Barson / Jason LaVeris / Getty.
