A New York judge has ordered Leonardo DiCaprio to testify in a case against The Wolf of Wall Street after Andrew Greene filed a lawsuit claiming that he was defamed in the 2013 film.
According to CNN, Greene, a former executive of the stock brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont, is seeking $25 million in damages from Paramount Pictures and other producers. He said the movie portrayed him as a “criminal, a drug user and a degenerate” through the character Nicky “Rugrat” Koskof, played by P.J. Byrne.
Paramount, however, says that Byrne’s character is purely fictional. “No reasonable fact finder could claim that ‘Nicky’ was a recognizable likeness of Andrew Greene,” the film studio’s lawyers wrote in court papers, according to CNBC.
Martin Scorsese, who directed the Golden Globe–winning film, and screenwriter Terence Winter have already given testimonies.
DiCaprio’s attorneys have argued that since the actor didn’t write the screenplay, direct the film or portray Nicky, he shouldn’t be required to give a deposition.
Greene’s lawyers insist that DiCaprio, 41, was involved in the film’s development and, therefore, must testify. CNN reported that the stockbroker’s attorneys are willing to meet with the Revenant star in Los Angeles “if necessary to accommodate the actor’s busy schedule.”
The Wolf of Wall Street was nominated for five Academy Awards in 2014, including Best Picture and Best Actor for DiCaprio.