Evan Rachel Wood Sued for $30M, Actress Accused of Bailing on Lead Role
Evan Rachel Wood suffered another blow this week after a $30 million lawsuit names the actress guilty of breach of contract this week.
The 27-year-old starlet just announced her divorce from Jamie Bell last week. However, now, Wood is facing allegations that she ran out on a leading role in the upcoming sequel to the film "10 Things I Hate About You," according to RadarOnline.
A lawsuit filed by the company behind the film "10 Things I Hate About Life" is demanding monetary compensation for production and payment for the movie from Bell after she allegedly accepted the payment but left her role in it. The complaint, filed on June 4, stated, "Defendants revealed that [Wood] had decided to simply refuse to return to production to complete her contractually required actor services under the Actor Agreement."
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that Wood was "well aware as to the severe and substantial adverse consequences and harm to Producer, including all investors in the Picture, and others involved in the production of the Picture, naturally and directly resulting from [Wood's] unyielding refusal to render Artist's remaining actor services."
Despite the serious allegations, Wood's rep said that the lawsuit is "preposterous," adding that the actress stopped working on the film after producers failed to pay her, according to Variety.
"The lawsuit is preposterous and simply a bullying tactic from financially troubled producers," the statement said. "The production shut down in February 2013 when the producers ran out of money. Even after that, Evan agreed to resume production in Nov. 2013 by which time the producers said they would have cleared up their issues. However, the producers still could not get their act together, nor did they pay Evan money that was owed. Repeated subsequent promises by the producers to resume production and pay Evan also turned out to be false. Enough is enough. The producers, not Evan, have breached contract."
Watch the rough cut trailer for "10 Things I Hate About Life" here.
Meanwhile, Wood and Bell ended their marriage after 19 months together last week.
"Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Bell have decided to separate," a rep told Us Weekly. "They both love and respect one another and will of course remain committed to co-parenting their son. This is a mutual decision and the two remain close friends."