Arts & Entertainment
Court dismisses Olivia de Havilland’s ‘Feud’ lawsuit against Ryan Murphy
the 101-year-old actress’ attorney plans to continue fighting
Ryan Murphy (Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)
Olivia de Havilland’s lawsuit against Ryan Murphy and FX for Catherine Zeta-Jones’ portrayal of the iconic actress in “Feud: Bette and Joan” has been dismissed by the California Court of Appeals 2nd Appellate District.
According to Deadline, the lawsuit claimed the character hurt her “professional reputation for integrity, honesty, generosity, self-sacrifice and dignity.”
The court disagreed and said Zeta-Jones’ portrayal “is not highly offensive to a reasonable person as a matter of law.”
The Motion Picture Association of America released a statement commending the court’s decision.
“The MPAA is proud to have joined with our colleagues at Netflix to submit an amicus brief to the Court of Appeal, warning that upholding the Superior Court’s decision would cause both artistic freedom and public discourse to suffer,” MPAA chairman/CEO Charles Rivkin said in a statement. “The Court of Appeal’s opinion will safeguard the right of filmmakers to tell stories that entertain, inspire, and inform audiences around the world.”
In “Feud: Bette and Joan,” Zeta-Jones, as De Havilland, is recruited to replace Joan Crawford in the 1964 film “Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” In one scene while discussing the role, De Havilland says she has no interest in playing “bitches” and suggests “Maybe you should call my sister.” The comment is a reference to De Havilland’s sibling rivalry with fellow actress Joan Fontaine.
Murphy, who is known for his fictitious retellings of historic events, also released a statement calling the lawsuit dismissal “a victory for the creative community.”
“The reversal is a victory for the creative community, and the First Amendment,” Murphy said. “Today’s victory gives all creators the breathing room necessary to continue to tell important historical stories inspired by true events. Most of all, it’s a great day for artistic expression and a reminder of how precious our freedom remains.”
De Havilland’s attorney Suzelle Smith doesn’t appear to be giving up the fight.
“This case appears to be destined for a higher court, and we will be preparing the appropriate petition for such review,” Smith said in a statement.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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