Someone who got rich off the back of Jordan Belfort, the original Wolf of Wall Street, must be having cash flow problems. And that means Leonardo DiCaprio will have to clear some time in his schedule between shooting his next movie and vaping.
It seems that a person named Andrew Greene is convinced that the character Nicky “Rugrat” Koskoff, played by actor P.J. Byrne in Martin Scorsese’s 2013 Oscar-nominee that starred DiCaprio as Belfort, is based on him. So, he’s suing the movie’s producers and the judge presiding over the case ordered the newly-minted Best Actor to take the stand and testify. DiCaprio’s production company, Appian Way, is among the defendants in the case, brought by Greene because he alleges that the movie portrays him as a “depraved, drug-fueled criminal.” Greene is seeking $15 million in damages. The movie grossed $116.9 million in the U.S. and $392 million worldwide.
Greene brought the suit back in February and claimed that he worked for Belfort at his firm Stratton Oakmont from 1993 to 1996. The movie’s distributor, Paramount, refuted the claim by pointing to its disclaimer stating that in order to dramatize events, the filmmakers created composite characters from the many people employed by Belfort. Greene’s claim was initially rejected but a judge has now permitted him to change things up and assert that Scorsese and company “maliciously libeled” him. What a country.
Both Scorsese and screenwriter Terence Winter have already testified in the case and seeing as how DiCaprio had nothing to do with either of their jobs, it’s a bit odd that he will have to appear. Unless, that is, the judge is looking for some free tips on proper vaping techniques.
(via BBC)
