Friday 21 Lifestyle | Music & Movies Friday, July 24, 2020 ‘Go ahead, make my day,’ Clint Eastwood tells CBD retailers in lawsuits

ovie legend Clint Eastwood filed two profited off of his name and likeness,” the lawsuit customers and caused the consuming public to lawsuits on Wednesday seeking millions adds. The three CBD companies accused of com- believe that Mr Eastwood is associated with Mof dollars in damages from several CBD ing up with the phony articles that first surfaced and/or endorsed... defendants’ CBD products, manufacturers and marketers that claimed or made last year were named as Sera Labs Inc, Greendios when no such association actually exists,” the it look like he endorsed their products. The multiple and For Our Vets LLC. The lawsuit also says that court document states. Oscar-winning actor-turned-director, 90, said in the three companies sent spam emails with the The “Dirty Harry” actor made clear in both one of the lawsuits filed in Los Angeles federal subject line “Clint Eastwood Exposes Shocking lawsuits that he would not sit by and allow his court that three CBD companies used fake news Secret Today.” The body of the emails purported name or image to be used to sell CBD products. articles featuring photos of Eastwood and attribut- to show an interview—which never took place— “Like many of his most famous characters, Mr ing quotes to him to promote and sell cannabidiol with NBC’s Today show. Eastwood is not afraid to confront wrongdoing (CBD) products. “In truth, Mr Eastwood has no The second lawsuit targets 10 companies and and hold accountable those that try to illegally connection of any kind whatsoever to any CBD individuals in various US states that are accused profit off his name or likeness,” the documents say. products and never gave such an interview,” states of using programming code to insert the actor’s Eastwood is seeking millions of dollars in damages In this file photo Director and actor Clint Eastwood attends the the lawsuit, which claims defamation. name in hidden metatags in order to direct online and has also asked the court to order the compa- “Richard Jewell” world premiere gala screening during AFI “By this action, Mr Eastwood seeks to hold searches to their webpage. “By using Mr East- nies to give up all income, profits and benefits re- FEST 2019 Presented By Audi at TCL Chinese Theatre, in accountable the persons and entities that wrong- wood’s name in hidden metatags, defendants have sulting from their conduct. The companies and Hollywood, California.—AFP photos fully crafted this scheme, spread false and mali- figuratively posted a sign with Mr Eastwood’s individuals named in the two lawsuits could not be cious statements of facts about him, and illegally trademark in front of their online store to attract immediately reached for comment.—AFP Dua Lipa says ‘misinterpreted’ Heard says Depp threw bottles at her ‘like grenades’

S actress Amber Heard on Wednesday said her ex-hus- over ‘Greater Albania’ tweet band Johnny Depp threw dozens of bottles at her “like Ugrenades”, as she gave evidence for a third day at his ritish pop star of Kosovo descent London libel action. Heard, 34, said Depp, 57, had lobbed “all Dua Lipa has insisted she was mis- the bottles in reach” towards her during an explosive 2015 row Bunderstood over a tweet linked to on a trip to Australia. Depp is suing the publishers of British Albanian nationalist aspirations that tabloid The Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN) and the au- sparked controversy, notably in the volatile thor of a 2018 article that labelled him a “wife beater” at Lon- Balkans region. Lipa, born in Britain to don’s High Court. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star has Kosovar parents, posted a map represent- emphatically denied 14 claims of violence that NGN said ing “Greater Albania” with the caption proves its story, and sought to portray Heard as calculating “Autochthonous” on her Twitter account and dishonest. over the weekend, sparking sharp reac- The article in The Sun caused him serious reputational dam- tions on both sides. In a follow-up post age, he argues. But Heard has accused Depp of sustained verbal Tuesday evening, she said she had been and physical abuse, as well as displaying “extremely controlling “wilfully misinterpreted by some groups and intimidating behaviour”. The couple met on the set of the and individuals who promote ethnic sepa- 2011 film “The Rum Diary”, married in 2015 but divorced two ratism, something I completely reject”. The years later. US actor Johnny Depp (right) gestures as he leaves after attending day twelve of his libel trial against News Group singer said her previous post was “never Dua Lipa meant to incite any hate”. ‘Violent nights’ Newspapers (NGN), at the High Court in London.—AFP photos She added: “We all deserve to be proud of our ethnicity and Wednesday’s cross-examination focused on Heard’s allega- where we are from. I simply want my country to be represented on a tions that Depp repeatedly assaulted her in Australia, fuelled by map.” “Greater Albania” is an idea promoted by nationalist extremists drink and drugs, as well as other incidents in the US. “He started seeking to unite Albanians in the Balkans within one state, including picking them (bottles) up one by one and throwing them like Kosovo, parts of Serbia and North Macedonia. Belgrade regularly grenades,” she said during questioning by one of the actor’s accuses Pristina and Tirana of having as their ultimate political goal lawyers, adding he lobbed around 30 in total. “He threw all the the unification of all territories where ethnic Albanians make up the bottles that were in reach, all except for one which was a cele- majority. They claim it was this idea that fuelled Kosovo’s declaration bratory magnum-sized bottle of wine.” of independence from Serbia. Both Albanian and Kosovo authorities The court has previously heard that Depp’s finger was sev- insist that no such plan exists. ered during the alleged incident. The Hollywood star blamed his Lipa’s tweet was particularly controversial in the Balkans coun- ex-wife for the injury, which she denied. “I don’t think he meant tries concerned. “The discussions about borders and who is au- to sever the finger but yes he did continue the attack,” she told tochthonous in the region need only a spark as proved with the the court. Heard admitted that she got angry “at times” but “not international star’s post,” commented the Kosovo daily paper Koha to the extent where I would throw anything at him offensively”. Ditore. Her original post was published just days after the launch of Depp’s lawyer Eleanor Laws also asked her about an alleged an online petition demanding Kosovo be shown on US tech giant December 2015 incident of domestic violence in Los Angeles, Apple’s maps. which Heard has described as “one of the worst and most vio- Ethnic-Albanian majority Kosovo proclaimed independence lent nights of our relationship”. from Serbia in 2008. It was recognised by some 100 countries, in- She defended claims Depp slapped her, dragged her by the cluding the US and most European Union nations. But, Serbia and hair through their apartment—pulling clumps of her hair out— US actress Amber Heard arrives to give evidence at the libel tri- its allies Russia and China, still refuse to recognise the move, which and then repeatedly punched her in the head. “I had two black al by her former husband US actor Johnny Depp. is preventing Kosovo membership in the United Nations. The eyes, a broken nose, a broken rib... I had bruises all over my just bitten your lip because there was fresh blood on it. Had you “Greater Albania” map had already caused a stir in October 2014, body,” she said, after Laws argued a nurse who had examined just done that for (the nurse’s) benefit?” Laws asked. “Of course during an Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania, which her shortly after the row said she found no bruises. Laws told not,” Heard replied. The three-week trial is expected to run into had to be abandoned. —AFP Heard that the account was “just nonsense”, adding that the only next week, with a judge expected to rule on the case at a later blood the nurse could find was fresh and on her lip. “You had date.—AFP