Steve Coogan and his production company Baby Cow, Pathé Productions, have settled a defamation lawsuit over the 2022 film “The Lost King,” with “substantial damages” awarded to university officials who sued over Coogan’s portrayal in the film.
The film, written by Coogan and starring him and Sally Hawkins, tells the story of how the remains of King Richard III of England were discovered in Leicester in 2012. Richard Taylor, played by Lee Ingleby in the film and then deputy registrar at the University of Leicester, took legal action last year over what his lawyers claimed was a portrayal of an “arrogant villain”.
On Monday, the BBC reported that Taylor’s claims had been accepted and that the derogatory comments would not be repeated and the film would be changed. Taylor claimed that the character he was based on was “condescending, patronizing and misogynistic” towards historian Philippa Langley, played by Hawkins.
Judge Jaron Lewis ruled in June that the film could constitute defamation because it depicts Taylor “deliberately misrepresenting the facts to the media and the public” about the discovery of Richard III’s remains and acting in a “smug, disrespectful and patronizing” manner. The case was scheduled to go to trial, but has now been settled.
Ms Taylor told the BBC on Monday: “I’m really happy to finally be able to prove that this film is a defamatory portrayal of me, an unsubstantiated portrayal of me and a distortion of the search for Richard III.” “And we won’t let that diminish what was a great team effort, a collaborative experience in which university academics and amateurs came together to search for Richard III.”
Following the settlement, Coogan, Baby Cow and Pathé said in a joint statement to the BBC: “As a distributor and producer recognized for bringing complex real-life stories to audiences, we are deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with such depictions and approach each project with care, honesty and a commitment to authenticity. We remain extremely proud of this film and are pleased that this matter has been resolved.”
Pathé previously defended The Lost King in March 2024, saying it was “a feature film, not a documentary” and “not an accurate depiction of the literal word.”
“Pate is involved in the financing and distribution of dramatic films based on real people, events, and stories, including ‘The Queen,’ ‘The Iron Lady,’ ‘Philomena,’ ‘Selma,’ ‘Pride,’ ‘Judy,’ and ‘The Great Escape.’ , has a long, respected and successful history, and we support its decision to finance The Lost King, give a voice to Philippa Langley and bring her story to the screen,” the company said. he said at the time. “We respect the judge’s decision and are confident that this film does not imply the meaning that Richard Taylor has claimed. It was never Pathé’s intention to misrepresent anyone, and we believe we will be successful in defending the film and Pathé’s position.”
