Filmmakers Fire Back at Berry Gordy's $10 Million Lawsuit Over Being Portrayed as a Thug, Putting a Hit Out on Rival
Filmmakers are firing back at claims made by Motown founder Berry Gordy.
Creators of the 2023 film called Spinning Gold came out swinging against explosive claims made by Motown founder Berry Gordy, who filed a $10 million lawsuit over the motion picture portraying him as a thug, RadarOnline.com can exclusively report.
Among the defendants are Timothy Bogart, the son of late music exec Neil, Hero Entertainment, and Universal City Entertainment Group.
The filmmakers shut down claims that Gordon has "suffered any damages as a result" or that he is "entitled to any equitable or legal relief" on "any ground whatsoever."
They denied wrongdoing in newly filed court docs dated October 4, specifically casting doubt on bombshell claims that Gordon has "suffered any damages as a result" or that he is "entitled to any equitable or legal relief" on "any ground whatsoever."
Timothy was a producer on the film about his father Neil Bogart's record label Casablanca Records which was released in the spring of this year.
Gordy stated in his filing that he took issue with the film because it presents false narratives and defamatory fiction as if it were fact. "Every bit of it is true, even the parts that aren't," he noted Timothy had said.
Gordy said he was falsely portrayed as a thug in the film.
He cited one scene that had him "putting a hit out" on Neil "purportedly because Casablanca Records lured the Isley Brothers and Gladys Knight away from Motown to join the anemic roster of artists at Casablanca."
"None of this is true and [Gordy] is not, and has never, associated with criminals or criminal behavior, and there certainly was never any solicitation of murder by, or, on the part of, [Gordy]," the suit claimed.
The retired record executive argued that Spinning Gold featured a "made-up storyline in which Gordy is wrongfully and dishonestly portrayed as a thug and a mobster.
"None of this is true," his previous filing stated.
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"The Picture is unlikely to be a commercial or artistic success. However, the picture does succeed in defaming and otherwise causing great damage to Gordy," he added.
Timothy and his co-defendants fired back at "each and every" one of those accusations, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal, arguing that Gordy "cannot meet his burden of demonstrating a probability that he will prevail on each of his claims."
The latest filing by the defendants stated that Gordy's allegations "are barred, in whole or in part, by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution."
Gordy is seeking $10 million+ in damages.
They argued that his accusations arise from the "exercise of the right of free speech" and in connection with "issues of public interest."
They went on to suggest it must be stricken from the court and that defendants should be awarded their attorneys' fees and costs incurred while defending themselves.
"Plaintiff's claims are barred, in whole or in part, because he is a public figure and Defendants did not publish any false statement or implication about him with constitutional actual malice," the court docs stated.
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The defendants went on to argue that any emotional distress Gordy claimed to have suffered resulted from "his peculiar susceptibility," about which they "did not have adequate knowledge."
In the latest docs, Timothy and others were seeking judgment from the court that Gordy "take nothing by this action" and "be entered in favor of Defendants against Plaintiff."
They also wanted to recover their costs and attorneys' fees as well as any other relief the court deems just and proper.
Time will tell what the court decides after Gordy blasted the defendants for what he and his legal team deemed to be "a vile, reckless and baseless character assassination in the desperate attempt to create drama where none exists."
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