Amber Heard is facing a significant legal battle as she finds herself at the center of a $10 million breach-of-contract lawsuit related to her forthcoming movie, “London Fields.” The producers of the film, known as Nicola Six Limited, are claiming that Heard failed to fulfill her obligations in terms of acting and promotional services, as stipulated in their agreement.
Legal papers obtained by TheWrap reveal that the producers are taking action against Heard for not upholding her commitment to participate in scenes that required nudity, which they assert goes against the terms of her contract.
It is alleged that Heard was fully informed of the explicit nature of the character she was to portray, having familiarized herself with both Martin Amis’ novel and the screenplay of the movie, which featured daring and revealing sequences.
The suit contends that Heard had the authority to review all scenes involving n^dty and intimacy and to give final approval, in exchange for compensation for her acting contributions.
However, due to her purported reluctance to engage in the n^de scenes as scripted, adjustments had to be made to accommodate her stance, resulting in pivotal scenes being altered or omitted altogether.
The ensemble cast of “London Fields” includes acclaimed actors like Billy Bob Thornton, Jim Sturgess, Cara Delevingne, and Johnny Depp, under the direction of Mathew Cullen.
The film’s debut at the Toronto International Film Festival was marred by controversy when several lead actors were conspicuously absent.
Cullen, dissatisfied with the final edit as overseen by Nicola Six Limited, filed a lawsuit alleging deception, claiming that the producers took control of the movie’s final version.
It was mentioned in the legal action that Cullen took over the directorial duties from Shekhar Kapur, who withdrew from the project citing concerns about Heard’s lack of experience in acting.
The lawsuit further outlines instances where Heard allegedly disregarded her contractual commitments, including her failure to make an appearance at the film’s premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival, despite clauses in her contract mandating her presence for promotional activities.
According to the court document, it was customary within the industry for Heard, as the lead actress, to attend the festival and endorse the film, a responsibility she was financially compensated for.
Her absence at the event was highlighted as particularly detrimental, given her attendance at the same festival for the promotion of another film, “The Danish Girl,” and in support of her then-spouse Johnny Depp’s movie, “Black Mass.”
Moreover, Nicola Six Limited accuses Heard of actively influencing the festival organizers to withdraw the film from the lineup at short notice, leading to negative publicity and undermining the reputation and marketability of “London Fields.”
In addition to the breach of contract allegations, Heard is being accused of colluding with director Matthew Cullen to obstruct the completion and marketing of “London Fields.” The lawsuit asserts that their actions hindered the efforts of Nicola Six Limited to finalize and release the Producer’s Cut of the film, thereby causing financial harm and tarnishing the reputation of the production company, the movie, and its investors.
Pamela Chelin’s insights have contributed to the development of this comprehensive report.
