LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Sean Penn (news) is claiming in a lawsuit that he lost a movie role because of his public opposition to a U.S. war against Iraq.
But Movie producer Steve Bing has countered in his own lawsuit that Penn is "irrational and irresponsible" and accused the actor of trying to extort $10 million for a movie he had no deal to star in.
Bing and Penn hit each other with Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuits on Tuesday in a bitter feud over the putative movie, "Why Men Shouldn't Marry," that could result in a classic courtroom showdown.
Penn, the ex-husband of Madonna (news - web sites), accused Bing of "borrowing a page from the dark era of Hollywood blacklisting" by allegedly reneging on a contract for him to play the lead in the movie after Penn aired his views on Iraq in a January television interview.
Bing, most famous for a bitter dispute over paternity of British actress Elizabeth Hurley (news)'s child, termed Penn's claim blackmail.
Bing alleged that on Penn's return from Iraq, Penn threatened "to turn their business dispute into a First Amendment crusade" although it had nothing to do with free speech, threatening to tell the media he had been forced off the movie because of his opposition to a U.S. invasion.
Bing said he had never closed a deal with Penn but had spent millions of dollars on pre-production for the movie which he wrote and intends to direct in the belief that the actor would be on board.
Penn claims breach of oral contract and is asking for $10 million in damages. Bing claims civil extortion and is claiming $15 million in damages.
I couldnt be happier that this idiot lost a crapload of money because of this. I am so tired of these diaper wearing actors and actresses like Penn and Susan Surandon who are what they are because of the freedoms in this country....and then promptly turn around and spit on those who are attempting to preserve those freedoms. This kind of sh*t must really serve as great moral boosters to hundreds of thousands of our young men and women overseas who are willing to die so others can go on living free.
How dare you live under the freedom I provide....and then question the manner in which I provide it. Colonel Nathan R. Jesep
But Movie producer Steve Bing has countered in his own lawsuit that Penn is "irrational and irresponsible" and accused the actor of trying to extort $10 million for a movie he had no deal to star in.
Bing and Penn hit each other with Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuits on Tuesday in a bitter feud over the putative movie, "Why Men Shouldn't Marry," that could result in a classic courtroom showdown.
Penn, the ex-husband of Madonna (news - web sites), accused Bing of "borrowing a page from the dark era of Hollywood blacklisting" by allegedly reneging on a contract for him to play the lead in the movie after Penn aired his views on Iraq in a January television interview.
Bing, most famous for a bitter dispute over paternity of British actress Elizabeth Hurley (news)'s child, termed Penn's claim blackmail.
Bing alleged that on Penn's return from Iraq, Penn threatened "to turn their business dispute into a First Amendment crusade" although it had nothing to do with free speech, threatening to tell the media he had been forced off the movie because of his opposition to a U.S. invasion.
Bing said he had never closed a deal with Penn but had spent millions of dollars on pre-production for the movie which he wrote and intends to direct in the belief that the actor would be on board.
Penn claims breach of oral contract and is asking for $10 million in damages. Bing claims civil extortion and is claiming $15 million in damages.
I couldnt be happier that this idiot lost a crapload of money because of this. I am so tired of these diaper wearing actors and actresses like Penn and Susan Surandon who are what they are because of the freedoms in this country....and then promptly turn around and spit on those who are attempting to preserve those freedoms. This kind of sh*t must really serve as great moral boosters to hundreds of thousands of our young men and women overseas who are willing to die so others can go on living free.
How dare you live under the freedom I provide....and then question the manner in which I provide it. Colonel Nathan R. Jesep
