10 Things I Hate About Lawsuits: Evan Rachel Wood Sued for $30M
Actress Evan Rachel Wood is being sued for $30 million by the makers of "10 Things I Hate About Life" for refusing to work -- allegedly after she'd already been paid.
The movie was slated to be a follow-up to the '90s hit "10 Things I Hate About You," and producers allege that Wood was paid $300,000 for a seven-week shoot beginning December 2012, according to Variety. The production halted halfway through the shoot, but when it resumed, producers allege that Wood demanded more money to continue working.
Is this all Hollywood contract mumbo-jumbo, or do the producers have a case against Wood?
Wood Thinks Suit Is 'Preposterous'
The "10 Things" producers may have alleged that Wood breached her contract with them, but she thinks the suit is "preposterous," reports Variety.
Wood may need a legal reality check. A poodle on its hind legs with sunglasses is preposterous, but a Hollywood suit over breach of contract is pretty commonplace.
Here are just a few notable breach of contract suits involving Hollywood names other than Wood:
- Robin Williams failed to win on a breach of contract claim over a role in "Cop Out," a movie that later starred Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan.
- Nicolas Cage was sued for breach of contract by a leasing company for failing to make payments on two six-figure Rolls Royces.
- Jon Lovitz eventually resolved a breach of contract suit with the Los Angeles Dodgers over paying them for season tickets.
Wood's suit isn't particularly different from these suits -- they all involve arguments over payment and fulfilling contract obligations.
Who Breached Here?
According to the "10 Things" producers' suit, Wood was paid $300,000 in advance to render all services "customarily rendered by actors in first-class feature-length theatrical motion pictures." As part of this, the suit claims that Wood agreed to approximately seven weeks of shooting.
But who breached the contract? According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wood claims the producers "ran out of money," and she agreed to resume in November 2013 if they got their act together. The producers, however, claim that Wood left for "personal reasons" and then demanded more money after they attempted to resume filming.
How did they get to $30 million from $300,000? The "10 Things" producers are essentially laying the loss of investment and profit from the movie -- which hasn't been released -- at Wood's feet.
Overblown damages are at least one thing to hate about lawsuits.
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Related Resources:
- UPDATE: Evan Rachel Wood's Rep Says $30M Lawsuit "Preposterous" (Deadline Hollywood)
- Evan Rachel Wood, Jamie Bell Robbed on Their Honeymoon (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- 'Hobbit' Producers Slapped With $75M Suit for Splitting Film (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- In 'Godzilla' Lawsuit, 3 Ex-Producers Claim Contract Fraud (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)