Steve Coogan being sued by man portrayed in his movie The Lost King

Steve Coogan is being sued for libel by a college official over how he was portrayed in a movie concerning the discovery of Richard III’s stays.

Richard Taylor, previously deputy registrar of the University of Leicester, is bringing authorized motion in opposition to Coogan over his portrayal within the 2022 movie The Lost King, which he claims was “devious” and “weasel-like”.

Coogan wrote and directed the movie, which tells the story of how misplaced stays of the Plantagenet king had been present in a Leicester automobile park in 2012, greater than 500 years after his demise. Mr Taylor’s display character was portrayed by British actor Lee Ingleby.

The movie centres round Philippa Langley, performed by Sally Hawkins, an novice historian who goes in opposition to the tutorial institution in her efforts to search out King Richard III’s stays.

The lawsuit can also be in opposition to Coogan’s manufacturing firm Baby Cow and Pathe Productions.

At a listening to on Thursday, which Coogan didn’t attend, William Bennett KC stated his consumer Mr Taylor was offered as being “dismissive, patronising and misogynistic” in direction of Ms Langley.

The barrister stated in written submissions: “The relevant context is the ‘good versus bad’ narrative, which runs through the film.

“Ms Langley is portrayed because the gutsy underdog heroine struggling in opposition to opposition and the claimant because the smug villain.

“He not only takes steps to make sure that people do not know about her role but takes the credit, which was rightfully hers, for himself and the university.”

Mr Taylor, who’s now chief working officer at Loughborough University, was additionally proven as a “devious, weasel-like person” and a “suited bean-counter”, Mr Bennett informed the High Court in London.

The barrister later stated Mr Taylor was portrayed as “mocking” Richard III’s incapacity and “linking physical deformity with wickedness or moral failings”.

Mr Bennett continued: “It’s a straightforward, plot-driven film where everything that is said and done matters.”

Coogan and the 2 manufacturing firms are defending the libel declare.

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Andrew Caldecott KC, for the Alan Partridge star and corporations, stated in written submissions: “It is a feature film, not a documentary.

“It can be clear to the unusual cheap viewer that the movie just isn’t a documentary, it’s a dramatisation of occasions.

“The concept of fictional films based on real events is not a new one.”

Mr Caldecott stated the movie states it was “based on a true story”, including: “It is not a literal portrayal of exact words…. and would be understood as putting forward Ms Langley’s perception.”

The barrister denied that Mr Taylor is proven to be sexist or misogynist, including his “concern is about Ms Langley’s amateur status and lack of historical expertise, and not her gender”.

He continued: “Whilst the film is clearly strongly critical of Mr Taylor and the university for sidelining Ms Langley at the dig and after the discovery of the body and not giving her sufficient credit, his clear motive is to exploit the discovery to further the university’s commercial interests.

“No cheap viewer would conclude that his motive was sexism or misogynism.”

Mr Caldecott additionally stated Mr Taylor was not portrayed as mocking Richard III’s incapacity, “and certainly not mocking disabled people in general”.

Judge Jaron Lewis will give a ruling on preliminary points within the declare at a later date.