Adrien Brody Sues Horror Film Producers

Oscar winner Adrien Brody is suing the producers of Italian horror movie Giallo, directed by Dario Argento on charges that they lied to him to keep him on set. He seeks to prevent its DVD release Wednesday.

The actor signed a "pay or play" agreement with the filmmakers and was prepared to quit a week into production after discovering the movie was under-funded, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Brody alleges that producers lied to him at this point, telling him that they had a $2 million Italian distribution deal lined up. He then signed a new agreement to defer payment in exchange for being given the "absolute right to withhold consent to the use of his likeness in the picture" until he'd been paid.

Brody filed a lawsuit charging that he has still not been paid, and that the producers lied to him to get him to continue and then told him that they would never pay him when he attempted to stop the picture. He is seeking a permanent injunction against distribution of the film, the $640,000 he was initially promised, as well as another $2 million more for breach of contract, breach of fair dealing, fraud, and misappropriation of his publicity rights. –AMY LEE