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13 FEBRUARY 2003
Sean Penn is suing Liz Hurley's former lover Steve Bing for $10 million. The acclaimed actor says he was dropped from a movie project because of his outspoken views on US plans to invade Iraq.
The 42-year-old was to star in the movie Why Men Shouldn't Worry, which Steve Bing intended to write and produce. Plans for the film were scrapped, however, after Sean appeared on a US chat show to talk about his fact-finding trip to Baghdad.
Steve allegedly contacted one of his representatives immediately after the interview seeking assurances the actor "would stop making public statements about Iraq". Sean says the millionaire producer then called him directly asking him to "refrain from further public expression of his concerns on a possible war". And soon afterwards he received a voicemail message from Steve saying the plans were off.
Sean was to be paid $10 million to appear in the film, which follows the story of a man who goes through a bitter break-up, but finds comfort by becoming an anti-marriage counsellor.
Steve has responded by launching a $15 million counter-suit, accusing the actor of extortion. His case states that: "Penn's representatives menacingly warned Bing that Penn could not be controlled." He also contends he tried for six months to finalise a deal with Sean, but was unable to do so because of the actor's "preoccupation with other matters". He goes on to allege the performer "threatened to turn an ordinary business dispute about a non-existent contract into a personal and political crusade against Bing based on a non-existent 'free speech' issue."
The actor insists, however, that he had reached a "pay or play" agreement with Steve, meaning that he should be paid even if the film is not made or he is replaced by another actor.
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