Earlier this year, Disney filed a lawsuit against Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s other elected officials. The corporation apparently isn’t done hitting the state quite yet, as it’s now suing Florida again while also facing a lawsuit from one of its recent actors.
Biggest Questions After Watching the Original Willow
As far as the former’s concerned, ClickOrlando reveals Walt Disney Parks & Resorts filed a suit this past Friday. It accused the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (or CFTOD) of violating both state law and constitution when it failed to preserve and turn over public records. Because the organization failed to respond to a public record request from this past May, Disney’s called for an Orange County court to immediately order the CFTOD to hand over “all outstanding requested records,” and also declare it’s unlawfully holding back said records.
Disney claims nearly 50 CFTOD workers have left since DeSantis appointed a new board in February. In its filing, it accuses the CFTOD of failing to preserve data from the personal phones of those employees who left. The organization’s board members and staff allegedly “self-select text messages or emails responsive to public record requests on their own, without technical instruction from the District or any effort to verify compliance.” This, in turn, has seen delays in responding to public record requests, along with “inadequate preservation, storage and production…and improper and unsupported claims of privilege and exemption from disclosure.”
At time of writing, the CTFOD hasn’t issued a response on the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, actor Ralph Ineson—seen (or heard) this year in Final Fantasy XVI, The Creator, and others—has filed a suit against Disney over an on-set injury during the production of Willow, which was taken off Disney+ earlier this year. Per Deadline, a night shoot filmed in South Wales in July 2021 saw him dislocate his shoulder. In his claim, filed in London High Court, he’s seeking $190,050 (or £150,000) from Disney, as his injuries have reportedly impacted his ability to take roles involving fighting or horseback riding.
“The claimant caught his right foot on the step, fell and landed awkwardly on his right arm,” reads the document. While it notes Ineson immediately felt pain in his shoulder, the actor allegedly “stoically kept quiet” to avoid ruining the shot and waited until the cameras were cut before speaking up. It also claims the show’s producers—which include Jonathan Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy, and Ron Howard—are liable due to “exerting pressure” of filming to deadline, and failing to ensure the steps where Ineson fell were properly cleaned.
Disney, also at time of writing, hasn’t given a comment on Ineson’s suit or the claims therein.
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