By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Very few actors could get away with suing the mob. Joe Pesci certainly qualifies as one of those actors.
The “Goodfellas” and “Casino” star isn’t really going after the Mafia, though he is attempting to sue the producers behind the new John Gotti film for allegedly using Pesci’s name to drum up support and interest in the biography.
John Travolta is playing the late mob boss in the film, while Pesci once was considered to play enforcer Angelo Ruggiero. But Pesci separated from the production, and now it’s a legal “he-said-she-said” about who walked away from who and for what reason. While Pesci says he was cut from the production, even after gaining 30 pounds to play the part, Mike Fiore, CEO of Fiore Films, now claims it was Pesci who walked away from the project after original director Nick Cassavetes departed.
Hollywoodnews.com: Very few actors could get away with suing the mob. Joe Pesci certainly qualifies as one of those actors.
The “Goodfellas” and “Casino” star isn’t really going after the Mafia, though he is attempting to sue the producers behind the new John Gotti film for allegedly using Pesci’s name to drum up support and interest in the biography.
John Travolta is playing the late mob boss in the film, while Pesci once was considered to play enforcer Angelo Ruggiero. But Pesci separated from the production, and now it’s a legal “he-said-she-said” about who walked away from who and for what reason. While Pesci says he was cut from the production, even after gaining 30 pounds to play the part, Mike Fiore, CEO of Fiore Films, now claims it was Pesci who walked away from the project after original director Nick Cassavetes departed.
- 7/28/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
Joe Pesci is planning to sue the producers of Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father for breach of contract. The Goodfellas star claims that Fiore Films used his name to generate a buzz for the project before retracting his offer to play mob enforcer Angelo Ruggiero, according to TMZ. He plans to sue for the $$3 million (£1.8 million) contract sum, plus punitive damages. Pesci's lawyer also claims that the actor put on 30lb (14kg) in preparation for the part. Fiore Films chief Mike Fiore told Entertainment Weekly that Pesci had pulled out of the film when original director (more)...
- 7/28/2011
- by By Kate Goodacre
- Digital Spy
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