Olivia de Havilland’s lawsuit over the unauthorised use of her identity in Feud: Bette and Joan will continue next month.
Oral arguments in the veteran actress’ case against FX and Feud producer Ryan Murphy have been set for March 20.
However, the arguments as to whether the case should advance won’t be heard in a traditional courtroom. They’ll instead be carried out at USC’s law school so that students can watch the procedure, according to De Havilland’s attorneys. The hearing is still as official as if it were held in the courthouse.
The presiding panel will consist of three justices from Los Angeles County Superior Court, which has handled the case thus far. The case has been held up in appeals for months, and the appellate oral arguments are simply the next step.
On the eve of her 101st birthday last summer, the Gone With the Wind star announced she was suing FX and Murphy over the unauthorised use of her identity in the 2017 docudrama.
Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones portrayed De Havilland in the Emmy-nominated miniseries to provide commentary on the storied rivalry between actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, played by Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, respectively.
“Miss de Havilland was not asked by FX for permission to use her name and identity and was not compensated for such use,” her attorneys said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times in June.
“Further, the FX series puts words in the mouth of Miss de Havilland which are inaccurate and contrary to the reputation she has built over an 80-year professional life, specifically refusing to engage in gossip-mongering about other actors in order to generate media attention for herself.”
The two-time Oscar winner’s legal team won a motion to expedite the case because of the actress’ advanced age, but Fox attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, citing rights in the US and California constitutions to free speech in connection with a public issue.
While the trial was set to begin in November, the back-and-forth of the appeals process took it off the calendar. De Havilland, who resides in France and limits her travel, is not expected to appear in court.
