Coogan painted me as a weasel who hates women... so I’m suing
Actor accused of libel in film about finding Richard III’s skeleton
STEVE Coogan is being sued for libel by a university official over his ‘devious’ and ‘weasel-like’ portrayal in a film about the discovery of Richard III’s remains.
The Alan Partridge star wrote, produced and acted in the The Lost King, which follows amateur historian Phillipa Langley and her successful search for Richard’s skeleton.
Richard Taylor, who is the chief operating officer at Loughborough University, is bringing the action against Mr Coogan, his production company Baby Cow and Pathe Productions. At a High Court hearing in London yesterday, Mr Taylor’s lawyer William Bennett KC said he was presented as being ‘dismissive, patronising and misogynistic’.
The barrister said in written submissions: ‘The relevant context is the “good versus bad” narrative, which runs through the film. Ms Langley is portrayed as the gutsy underdog heroine struggling against opposition and the claimant as the arrogant villain.
‘He not only takes steps to make sure that people do not know about her role but takes the credit, which was rightfully hers, for himself and the university.’
Mr Taylor, formerly deputy registrar at the University of Leicester, was also shown as a ‘devious, weasel-like person’ and a ‘suited bean-counter’, Mr Bennett said.
The libel claim is being defended by Mr Coogan and the two production companies. He was not in court. Andrew Caldecott KC, for them, said in written submissions: ‘It is a feature film, not a documentary.
‘It would be clear to the ordinary reasonable viewer that the film is not a documentary, it is a dramatisation of events. The concept of fictional films based on real events is not a new one.’ Mr Caldecott said that the film states it was ‘based on a true story’, adding: ‘It is not a literal portrayal of exact words ... and would be understood as putting forward Ms Langley’s perception.’
The barrister denied that Mr Taylor is shown to be sexist or misogynist, adding his ‘concern is about Ms Langley’s amateur status and lack of historical expertise, and not her gender’.
He added: ‘Whilst the film is clearly strongly critical of Mr Taylor and the university for sidelining Ms Langley at the dig and after the discovery of the body and not giving her sufficient credit, his clear motive is to exploit the discovery to further the university’s commercial interests.’
Mr Taylor’s screen character was portrayed in the film by British actor Lee Ingleby.
Judge Jaron Lewis will give a ruling on preliminary issues in the claim at a later date.
Richard’s remains were found in a Leicester car park in 2012.