There were fights on and off-screen over Ryan Murphy's FX series Feud, which followed the story of the now-legendary rivalry between celebrated Hollywood actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, played by Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange.
A character that caused quite a stir, however, was Catherine Zeta Jones' catty portrayal of Olivia de Havilland, so much so that the now 101-year-old actress sued FX Networks for defamation.
However, on Monday the lawsuit was thrown out of an appeal's court.
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Showrunner Ryan Murphy, also known for his American Horror Story and American Crime Story series', said in a statement: "The reversal is a victory for the creative community and the First Amendment.
"Today’s victory gives all creators the breathing room necessary to continue to tell important historical stories inspired by true events. Most of all, it’s a great day for artistic expression and a reminder of how precious our freedom remains."
Olivia de Havilland's attorneys said in a statement; "Miss de Havilland was not asked by FX for permission to use her name and identity and was not compensated for such use.
"Further, the FX series puts words in the mouth of Miss de Havilland which are inaccurate and contrary to the reputation she has built over an 80-year professional life, specifically refusing to engage in gossip mongering about other actors in order to generate media attention for herself."
It seems that may not be the end of it, with Suzelle Smith, de Havilland’s attorney saying: "This case appears to be destined for a higher court, and we will be preparing the appropriate petition for such review."
