Paris-born actress Eva Green has sparked outrage in her native France after she blamed her “Frenchness” for a series of insults against film producers.
The former Bond girl, 42, is embroiled in a bitter legal battle with the makers of the £4.6m film ‘A Patriot’, with each side blaming the other for the production’s demise in October 2019. She is suing White Lantern Films for a million dollar (£810,000) fee – even though the film was never made.
When several of her hateful WhatsApp messages about the film’s director, producers and production staff were read out in court, Green replied: “I have a very direct way of saying things… It’s my French way that sometimes comes out .”
Her statement that her obnoxious posts – in which she called production crew members “sucky peasants” and a production manager “an idiot” and a “perfect son of a thief” – traced back to her angry French roots for many of her countrymen.
French actress Eva Green arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice on January 31, 2023 in London, Britain.
Green was photographed yesterday as she arrived at the Rolls Building, London, for her High Court hearing over payment for a closed film project. She later posted a series of offensive messages about various members of the film crew blaming their “Frenchness”.
READ MORE: ‘Look what happened to Alec Baldwin on Rust’: Bond girl Eva Green accuses producer of doomed sci-fi movie of increasing risk of similar tragedy by doing stunt – Abolish training
The worst excuse in the world. It’s like people justify their mistakes with their zodiac sign,” joked one.
“I’m French and I don’t insult anyone in public! Respect and education are important here! Sorry Marlene Jobert (Green’s mother)…” said another angry French user.
“Thank you for the international image,” added Frederic Says of Radio France.
Other angry users lashed out at Green, with one prompting her to apologize for her “French side”.
Green admitted today that she was “humiliated” by the release of her sleazy WhatsApp messages and also opened up about her friendship with Daniel Craig.
She pointed out that people often say things they don’t mean, citing Craig’s one-time claim that he would rather “slash his wrists” than be 007 again.
The British star, 54, made the comment in an interview in 2015 after breaking his leg while filming his penultimate 007 film, Spectre.
Mr Craig later accepted he came across as “ungrateful” but said the comment was made as a joke.
Craig then reprized his role as the British spy in No Time To Die, completing a five-film run.
Green insists she did not sabotage the production of A Patriot or leave the film, telling the court: “I have a very direct way of saying things.
“I did not expect my WhatsApp messages to appear in court. It’s very humbling.’
Green’s claim that her “Frenchness” was to blame for her caustic posts infuriated many of her compatriots (These tweets were translated from French).
Eva Green arrives at the Rolls Building in London, England on January 31, 2023
Green insists she did not sabotage the production of A Patriot or leave the film, telling the court: “I have a very direct way of saying things.
“I did not expect my WhatsApp messages to appear in court. It’s very humbling.’
When cross-examined by Max Mallin, KC, for White Lantern about a post describing her experience working on the film as a “fucking nightmare”, she said: “Sometimes you say things you don’t mean . . . You hate someone and say I’m going to kill someone, but are you really going to kill that person? None.
“There is the famous example of Daniel Craig saying: ‘I’d rather cut my wrists than do another Bond film.’ But did he cut his wrists? No, he did another Bond film.”
To laughter from the visitors’ gallery, Green added: “I know this story because I know Daniel Craig.”
French actress Eva Green (R) leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Britain, January 30, 2023 with her lawyer Edmund Cullen. Green is suing production company White Lantern Films for unpaid salary allegedly owed to them for the film “A Patriot” after the film was eventually canceled
Green’s lawyer, Edmund Cullen KC (pictured left behind Green), said the lawsuit was “designed to portray my client as a diva to make headlines and tarnish her reputation.”
Earlier in the hearing Thursday, Mallin claimed Green was hostile to a vision for the film from one of the film’s executive producers, Jake Seal.
The lawyer said that in conversations with her agent and the film’s director, Green also called production manager Terry Bird a “fucking jerk” and the local crew members “s*t farmers … from Hampshire”.
However, Green’s lawyer, Edmund Cullen KC, said the lawsuit was “designed to portray my client as a diva to make headlines and tarnish her reputation.”
Cullen later said the news should be read “in the context” of negotiations to buy the rights to the script.
Green previously claimed she hoped to be able to buy the script rights – in exchange for waiving her fee – so the film could be shot elsewhere with a different crew.
But she said she knew she had no choice but to go ahead with the film.
Cullen described the film as a “passion project” and said the actress was “committed” to doing the film, but “the financial plan was never going to work out.”
Green also claimed that the production team made cuts, including in stunt training, leading her to draw comparisons to last year’s fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Alec Baldwin’s film Rust.
Green told the London court that producer Seal cut her stunt training for the film – in which she was to play a soldier – from four weeks to five days.
Actress Eva Green filming near Tower Bridge in October 2019
As evidence, Ms Green pointed to a fatal shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin’s film Rust (right), in which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (left) lost her life
“You can’t make quality film by cutting corners,” Green said.
She continued, “Look what happened to Alec Baldwin in the movie Rust, the producers cut corners, didn’t take safety precautions and a young woman was killed.”
In her written testimony in court, Green said that despite her best efforts to contact the production team, no personal training or stunt training had been arranged for her.
She also said she “fell in love” with the film, in which she played soldier Kate Jones, after reading the “bold and daring” script by writer-director Dan Pringle.
She said in her testimonial: “As I have repeatedly said, I fell deeply in love with this project – not only with the role, but also with the message of the film.
“I couldn’t imagine giving up the film what it would have been like to give up my baby.
“It still feels that way.”
Denying allegations that she did not want to go ahead with the project, the actress said, “In my 20 years of films, I have never broken a contract or even missed a day of shooting.”
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
