Eva Green: Actress gives evidence in High Court over bitter film dispute

Actress Eva Green described a movie shaper arsenic an "inexperienced, pretentious moron" arsenic "an affectional response" aft she was lied to astir filming, she has told the High Court.

The Casino Royale prima is suing White Lantern Films implicit her $1m (£810,000) interest for a movie that ne'er got made.

Her barrister has claimed the accumulation institution wants to overgarment her arsenic a "diva" to harm her reputation.

They quality her assertion and are countersuing.

The institution is arguing she made "unreasonable" demands and pulled out.

The French histrion was owed to prima successful and enforcement nutrient A Patriot successful 2019, but fell retired with chap producers implicit the budget, determination and preparations.

Ms Green argues that she is owed her interest nether a alleged "pay oregon play" provision, which guarantees an agreed outgo to an histrion adjacent if the movie is ne'er made.

A bid of her WhatsApp messages person been revealed to the court, successful which she called enforcement shaper Jake Seal "the devil" and "evil", and described the unit arsenic "peasants".

Asked astir her statement of an "inexperienced, pretentious moron", she told the tribunal connected Monday: "I'm astir apt talking astir [producer] Adam [Merrifield] astatine the time, but it was an affectional response, I felt betrayed."

She added that she had been "lied to" astir the determination of the accumulation from Ireland to the UK.

Referring to different connection describing 2 of the film-makers arsenic "weak and stupid", she said: "It's my Frenchness coming retired sometimes."

She added: "Sometimes you accidental things you don't really mean. Of people they are not anemic and stupid."

And asked astir the notation to unit members arsenic "peasants... from Hampshire", she said: "I person thing against peasants.

"I didn't privation to enactment with a sub-standard crew. I wanted to enactment with a high-quality unit who conscionable wanted to beryllium paid modular manufacture rates."

Ms Green said she withdrew aft fund cuts forced filming to determination from Ireland, and due to the fact that of "chaotic" preparations and what she described arsenic corner-cutting - specified arsenic an "extremely dangerous" simplification successful her stunt grooming - and the unit being paid "significantly" beneath manufacture rates.

She said she would not marque a "B-movie" due to the fact that appearing successful specified a movie "could termination my career".

"When an histrion has appeared successful a B-movie they are labelled arsenic a B-actor, you ne'er get offered prime enactment ever again", she added.

White Lantern has claimed "Ms Green's expectations for the movie were incompatible with its budget", and that she was "repeatedly making unreasonable demands" astir the crew, locations and equipment.

Max Mallin KC, for White Lantern, has besides claimed that Ms Green had an "animosity" towards a imaginativeness for the movie held by Mr Seal.

The civilian proceedings is owed to past for a full of 8 days.