Abigail Breslin claimed Aaron Eckhart’s aggressive behavior towards her while filming the new thriller led to her refusing to be alone with him. This is according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by Rolling Stone.
Breslin detailed Eckhart’s behavior to the Screen Actors Guild in a private letter, but her claims became public on Thursday when the film’s production companies sued her for breach of contract – claiming her “flimsy” allegations cost her $80,000.
The lawsuit obtained alleged that “the entire production nearly came to a halt when Breslin recommended the production of Eckhart’s (allegedly) aggressive, demeaning and unprofessional behavior, which she claimed at various times put her in danger.”
Dream Team Studios and WM Holdings, the plaintiffs, said in the lawsuit: “In order for production to proceed… Breslin refused to be alone with Eckhart in several scenes and costly accommodations had to be made.”
A publicist for Eckhart did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
The plaintiffs also noted that they were still not sure whether Breslin directly confronted Eckhart, but that they were aware of the letter in which she “expressed her concerns and denounced Mr. Eckhart’s conduct.” A producer on set was said to have investigated her claims at the time.
In the file only as “Mr. Georgiev,” his “detailed” investigation concluded that there was “no evidence to support Breslin’s wild, hysterical and fabricated accusations against Eckhart.” Although the film is ready, there are currently issues regarding its release.
Open Image ModalThe lawsuit alleged that Breslin (left) claimed that Eckhart “put her in harm’s way at various times.”
Links: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Right: Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Penske Media/Getty Images
The plaintiffs claimed in their lawsuit that Breslin demanded $35,000 “as a condition” of signing their final agreement, which the production companies required her to release the film – and for tax credits in Malta, where the film was shot. to apply.
The producers are therefore demanding $80,000 in damages from Breslin.
A representative for Breslin did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment, but told Rolling Stone that she is “not aware of any lawsuit that has been filed against her” and that she told the Screen Actors Guild “unequivocally stands by her statement stands”.
“She was mad at me and I was mad at her, but that’s just how filmmaking is,” he told E! in 2010. “Are we not allowed for a day? Even for half a day? … It’s so surprising … when people are surprised that filmmaking is sometimes tense and uncomfortable.”
In “Classified,” Eckhart plays the lead role of a CIA assassin whose orders are secretly sent via the eponymous newspaper department. Things take a turn when his estranged daughter (Breslin) reveals that his boss has been dead for years – and that he killed the wrong people.
A release date for the film has yet to be announced.