GIRL ABOUT TOWN: Emma's battle over Effie ends with a £300k bill 

By Charlotte Griffiths, Diary Editor For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 18:01 EST, 24 October 2015 | Updated: 18:55 EST, 24 October 2015

At a party earlier this month, Emma Thompson reassured me that her epic legal battle with the playwright Gregory Murphy over the film Effie Gray had been resolved ‘ages ago’.

But it seems the star was being a tad optimistic. For six years after the start of her dispute with Murphy over whether she had copied his stage play The Countess and a later script for a movie version, Thompson and her associates have been landed with a legal bill estimated at £325,000.

Murphy had been ordered to pay up after he lost a courtroom fight over plagiarism, but last week he managed to get part of the costs ruling overturned, and now Thompson and co will have to pay a big chunk of the bill. His success is remarkable because his dwindling finances meant he had to represent himself in a US appeal court.

Six years after the start of Emma Thompson's dispute with playwright Gregory Murphy over whether she had copied his stage play The Countess, Thompson and her associates have been landed with a legal bill estimated at £325,000

Six years after the start of Emma Thompson's dispute with playwright Gregory Murphy over whether she had copied his stage play The Countess, Thompson and her associates have been landed with a legal bill estimated at £325,000

‘I never sought this fight, but I could have been destroyed by it,’ a relieved Murphy tells me. ‘It’s been hell, but at last it’s over.’ The battle started when Murphy sent Thompson a script for a film he wanted to make about the Victorian Effie Gray, who was stuck in an unconsummated marriage with the art critic John Ruskin.

He had wanted Thompson and her husband Greg Wise to star in it. Murphy later learned that the couple were planning to make their own film about Effie and alleged plagiarism.

In an attempt to placate him, Thompson agreed to meet him at her London home, where, he says, she agreed to consider ‘collaborating’ on the project.

Murphy says a screenwriting credit, acknowledgment of his West End play, and a six-figure fee were offered. However, negotiations broke down over when the money would be paid.

The battle started when Murphy sent Thompson , pictured at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards in 2014, a script for a film he wanted to make about the Victorian Effie Gray

The battle started when Murphy sent Thompson , pictured at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards in 2014, a script for a film he wanted to make about the Victorian Effie Gray

The subsequent legal battle was actually started by Thompson and her business associates. Although Murphy had not sued over his claim, Thompson could not release her film – which starred Dakota Fanning in the title role – until she had a legal declaration from Murphy saying that his work had not been copied. He refused to do this, so the film’s producers had to get a US court to rule his copyright had not been infringed. They won – and Murphy was ordered to pay their costs and attorneys’ fees.

To make matters worse for Emma, the film – its release was delayed by four years because of the wrangling – was described by one critic as ‘a handsome, but rather inert’ effort.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY TELL ME!  

'I’ve never been on a date, I’ve been out for drinks with men but never a date. That’s what American people do! I’m so glad I’m hitched now and not dating.'

Rachel Weisz reveals at the Lobster premiere that she’s happy to be married to Daniel Craig – if only so she can avoid the dating game.

'I’ve taken to fondling random women’s boobs as soon as I meet them. Not to worry though, I’ve heard Liz Hurley does the same!'

Camilla Kerslake confesses to me that she and Elizabeth share an unusual hobby at the You Magazine Big Beauty Weekend cocktail party. Rest assured, it’s all in aid of breast cancer awareness.

Camilla Kerslake, pictured at the Pride of Britain Awards, confesses to me that she and Elizabeth share an unusual hobby at the You Magazine Big Beauty Weekend cocktail party

Camilla Kerslake, pictured at the Pride of Britain Awards, confesses to me that she and Elizabeth share an unusual hobby at the You Magazine Big Beauty Weekend cocktail party

'I wake up in the morning and I can’t wait to look at my face in the mirror and say, "My God you look bloody marvellous, Brian." I love that I look like a gorilla – I’m frequently mistaken in the Himalayas for a yeti.'

Brian Blessed assures me he has no hang-ups about his looks at a talk on his autobiography, Absolute Pandemonium, at the Apple Store in Covent Garden.

'I’ve worked with Harold Pinter and Angelina Jolie, they were both divas but working with Angelina was a different world. It was like she was a Velazquez painting and I a court jester.'

Actor Kenneth Cranham admits to me at The Father after-party that working with superstars left him feeling a little insecure.

'Of course I’ve kissed a man! Labour politician Michael Cashman is like family to me and I’ve kissed him before.'

Ed Miliband flashes his metrosexual credentials when we meet at the Pink Awards.

'Christ, if I started making kale smoothies and offered my husband one, I’d be out the door!'

Twiggy tells me she won’t be indulging in the ‘clean eating’ fad when we bump into each other at the launch of her Specsavers range.

Comments (34)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now