Supreme Court Denies Olivia de Havilland's 'Feud' Lawsuit

Olivia de Havilland will not get another chance at suing Ryan Murphy for Feud: Bette & Joan.

The 102-year-old Gone With The Wind actress has had her petition to review the dismissal of her lawsuit rejected by the Supreme Court on Monday (January 7), The Hollywood Reporter confirms.

Olivia first sued Ryan about the series because of Catherine Zeta-Jones‘ portrayal of herself. She also claimed the series put false words in her mouth.

“Whether a person portrayed in one of these expressive works is a world-renowned film star — ‘a living legend’ — or a person no one knows, she or he does not own history. Nor does she or he have the legal right to control, dictate, approve, disapprove, or veto the creator’s portrayal of actual people,” Justice Anne Egerton declared back in March of 2018 when the case was thrown out.

“Today, January 7, 2019, the United States Supreme Court, without explanation, denied Olivia de Havilland’s petition for certiorari of her case against FX for unauthorized and false use of her name and reputation. We and Miss de Havilland are disappointed that the US Supreme Court passed on this opportunity to confirm that the First Amendment does not protect the publication of intentional lies in any medium, including so called docudramas. The California Court of Appeal has turned the First Amendment upside down and without doubt more harm to individuals and public deception will result. One day someone else who is wronged for the sake of Hollywood profits will have the courage to stand on the shoulders of Miss de Havilland and fight for the right to defend a good name and legacy against intentional, unconsented exploitation and falsehoods. Miss de Havilland hopes she will live to see the day when such justice is done,” her legal team said in a statement.