Sharon Stone Podium - P 2012
Getty ImagesSharon Stone has sued producer Bob Yari and his production companies alleging she was encouraged to falsify documents to shoot an Ernest Hemingway biopic in Cuba.
The complaint, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, claims Yari, Magenta Light Productions and Sixth Floor Literary Properties attempted to lure Stone into a fraudulent scheme to avoid U.S. government licensing requirements before filming Papa in 2012.
Stone alleges she was asked to forego other projects to commit to the movie based on a false representation that Yari had the necessary documents to film in Cuba. The complaint goes on to claim that the Basic Instinct star was encouraged to “commit a fraud and a lie on her license application with the United Stares governmental agencies and to check a box indicating that she was going to Cuba for a ‘cultural endeavor’ ” rather than to shoot the movie, which could have put her passport privileges in jeopardy.
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The defendants are alleged to have agreed orally to put $500,000 in escrow for Stone but the suit claims they have refused.
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Stone was to have played Mary Hemingway during the five-week shoot, according to the lawsuit, which describes Yari as “someone who lies and schemes to avoid contractual or monetary obligations.” Yari has been a party to several legal cases in connection with Crash. According to the suit, after Stone said she would not travel without the legal licenses, she was told that her role would be recast and that she would need to return a wig loaned to her for the production.
Stone is seeking at least $500,000 and is represented by attorney Marty Singer.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Bob Yari Productions for comment.
