Farrah Fawcett’s estate sued a producer Friday who collaborated with the actress, claiming he botched a documentary project and misused her company’s money.
The lawsuit claims Craig J. Nevius exploited Fawcett and improperly revealed privileged information about the actress to the media, including that her cancer had returned. The suit also claims Nevius turned in an unworkable first cut of a documentary on Fawcett’s fight with cancer and he may have embezzled money from the actress’ company, Sweetened By Risk.
The lawsuit states NBC, which aired the television special “Farrah’s Story,” had to rework the footage with help from Fawcett’s longtime companion, Ryan O’Neal. The edits were being made until shortly before the special aired, the lawsuit states.
“These allegations lack merit and are a pathetic attempt to try to intimidate and further injure Mr. Nevius,” said attorney Miles J. Feldman.
Nevius sued O’Neal and Fawcett’s friend Alana Stewart over “Farrah’s Story” last year. The case is still pending.
That case, filed the day the special was aired for Fawcett’s friends and reporters, claims O’Neal, Stewart and Fawcett’s business manager Richard B. Francis, interfered with Nevius’ role in “Farrah’s Story.”
Friday’s lawsuit was filed by Francis, who is a trustee of Fawcett’s estate, and Sweetened By Risk LLC.
The lawsuit states Nevius knew Fawcett for about five years before he June 25 death. He worked on a reality TV series featuring the actress called “Chasing Farrah” and was producing the documentary that eventually aired on NBC. The lawsuit claims Fawcett cut ties to him in early 2009 and he became jealous of O’Neal and Stewart.
The lawsuit filed Friday contends Nevius turned in a first cut of “Farrah’s Story” that was deemed “wholly unacceptable” by the actress. She then turned creative control of the film over to O’Neal, the suit states.
The complaint states Francis believes Nevius “embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars” from Fawcett’s company. It states Nevius has refused to allow Sweetened by Risk’s financial records.
Fawcett’s “Charlie’s Angels” co-star, Kate Jackson, said Friday evening she was shocked at the lawsuit’s allegations against Nevius. Jackson had been critical of the producer in the past, but said Friday those comments were misguided.
She said it was her understanding that Fawcett had creative control of the early version of the documentary on her cancer fight.
“He had an unflagging devotion to Farrah in every way and he worked with her to help her achieve her vision, not his vision and not anybody else’s vision,” Jackson said in a telephone interview.
Kamala Harris Receives Chairman’s Prize At NAACP Image Awards
Former Vice President Kamala Harris stepped on the NAACP Image Awards stage Saturday night with a sobering message, calling the civil rights organization a pillar of the Black community and urging people to stay resilient and hold onto their faith during the tenure of President Donald Trump.
"While we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter in our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the oval office nor by the wealthiest among us," Harris said after receiving the NAACP's Chairman's Award. "The American story will be written by you. Written by us. By we the people."
The 56th annual Image Awards was held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in the Los Angeles area.
Harris, defeated by Trump in last year's presidential election, was the first woman and the first person of color to serve as vice president. She had previously been a U.S. senator from California and the state's attorney general.
In her first major public appearance since leaving office, Harris did not reference her election loss or Trump's actions since entering the Oval Office, although Trump mocked her earlier in the day at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Harris spoke about eternal vigilance, the price of liberty, staying alert, seeking the truth and America's future.
"Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy and ask 'What do we do now?'" Harris said. "But we know exactly what to do, because we have done it before. And we will do it again. We use our power. We organize, mobilize. We educate. We advocate. Our power has never come from having an easy path."
Other winners of the Chairman's prize have included former... Read More