U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal from Last Surviving Star of 'Gone with the Wind'

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal regarding the lawsuit filed by Olivia de Havilland against the FX television network over the series 'Feud: Bette and Joan.' This eight-part series, which aired in 2017, depicts the fierce rivalry between Hollywood stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in the later years of their lives, produced by FX, a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox. According to the Associated Press, with the Supreme Court's refusal to reconsider the case, the California Court of Appeal's ruling, which unanimously dismissed the lawsuit in 2018 based on state laws and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, remains in effect. The 102-year-old actress, who began her career in the 1930s, objected to the portrayal of her in the series, claiming that her likeness was used illegally and that her character (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones) was depicted as a petty gossip, damaging her reputation and dignity. The Supreme Court did not provide reasons for its customary rejection of the appeal. In the series 'Feud: Bette and Joan,' Jessica Lange plays Joan Crawford, while Susan Sarandon portrays Bette Davis. The California Court of Appeal stated in its March 2018 ruling that accepting this lawsuit would violate the rights of writers and directors to address historical events in dramatic form. The court also noted that the portrayal of Olivia de Havilland's character in the series was overall positive. Olivia de Havilland is renowned for her roles in films such as 'Gone with the Wind' (1939) as Melanie Hamilton and 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938), having appeared in over 50 films. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for 'To Each His Own' in 1946 and 'The Heiress' in 1949.