Producer sues movie stars
2004-12-21 07:48
Los Angeles - Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire have been sued by a producer who claims the two actors blocked distribution of a 1995 independent film they starred in.
John Schindler says the actors warned potential distributors that DiCaprio wouldn't work with them on other projects if they released Don's Plum, a low-budget, black-and-white film about a group of friends hanging out at a diner.
The Superior Court complaint, filed on Friday, seeks $38m and unspecified damages.
Messages left with DiCaprio's publicist, Ken Sunshine, and Maguire's publicist, Kelly Bush, weren't immediately returned on Monday.
In 1999, DiCaprio and Maguire settled a $10m lawsuit with another producer who accused them of using DiCaprio's superstar status to prevent the movie's release.
The agreement with producer David Stutman allowed for distribution outside the United States, Canada and the countries' territories.
The actors have said they made the film as a "favour to a friend" and did so under the agreement that it would never be promoted as a feature-length movie.
- AP