Halle Berry Is Being Sued
Halle Berry is being sued by a former MMA fighter about a potential role in an upcoming Netflix film. It looks like a messy situation
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Halle Berry has a new movie coming out for Netflix later this year, one that will see her making her first stop behind the lens. But the flick might already have some negative publicity attached and it isn’t even set to release for a few more months. That’s because, according to TMZ, Halle Berry is being sued by a former UFC fighter who claims Berry owes her for damages around career choices she made and possible promises to have been in the film.
Former UFC fighter Cat Zingano has filed suit against Halle Berry claiming that the latter had promised her a part in Bruised, the upcoming Netflix film. Apparently, according to Zingano, she was approached by Berry for some consulting regarding different aspects of the flick. And then Berry told Zingano to keep an open schedule around the time the film would shoot, implying there was a role for her in the movie. Things got a little stickier when Zingano claims she was offered a UFC fight that would have been around the time of filming. In the suit, Zingano claims that Berry advised her to turn down the fight. When that happened, the UFC canceled her contract going forward.
Then, following that set of events, when it came time for Bruised to start filming in a brutally ironic turn, Halle Berry allegedly told her there was no longer a role because Zingano was no longer a UFC fighter. Of course, Zingano is claiming that was only the case because Berry suggested she turn down the fight in the first place. What a mess. According to TMZ, Halle Berry and her representatives haven’t commented publicly on the situation which could get a bit sticky, especially around the film’s promotion. There are still a few months to iron that out though and some resolution could be met.
Bruised is set to hit Netflix in the United States on November 24th of this year. According to the logline, it is a story about an aging fighter (Halle Berry) who is entering the ring against a young upstart in the MMA scene. This all while trying to get custody back of her six-year-old child. Others in the cast include Shamier Anderson, Adan Canto, and Stephen Mckinley Henderson. UFC fighter Valentina Shevchenko will play that up-and-coming rival, apparently, the part originally cast with Zingano in mind.
Halle Berry wasn’t the first choice for this movie when Netflix first put its production in motion. Apparently, Nick Cassavettes was pegged to direct with Blake Lively in the lead. But both dropped out with Halle Berry stepping in to direct and star. Time will tell if this latest lawsuit impacts the movie’s direction or reception at all. If the sequence of events went down the way Zingano described then it is a really bad look for Berry in this respect. While possibly no ill will was meant, it sure doesn’t land to have coached someone out of a fight and then out of a role because of it. We are sure to get more details on this case in due time.
