Clooney caught in crossfire as war breaks out over latest film

Former friends behind ‘Men Who Stare At Goats’ draw star into bitter row over credits

The writer and journalist Jon Ronson must have been thrilled when he learned that George Clooney and Ewan McGregor were to be cast in a film inspired by his book, The Men Who Stare at Goats.

But, in advance of the nationwide premiere of the movie this Friday, Ronson’s moment of glory is in danger of being tarnished by claims of betrayal by his one-time best friend and fellow documentary-maker, John Sergeant. Sergeant, 51, who has worked with Ronson for years, has accused him of “airbrushing” him out of the story, and is now seeking redress by taking his gripes straight to George Clooney, dragging the actor into the row.

He claims he spent two years in Los Angeles, from November 2001 to 2003, researching and gathering material for the TV series Crazy Rulers of the World, which was broadcast on Channel 4 in 2004, and from which Ronson’s bestselling book was spawned. He says he found key figures on which the story was based, and persuaded them to speak on camera….

… When Sergeant was not invited to the film’s screening at the London Film Festival on 15 October, he wrote to Clooney detailing his grievances and asked the festival’s artistic director, Sandra Hebron, to pass on his letter to the actor’s publicist, which she duly did. However, yesterday, Stan Rosenfield, Clooney’s Los Angeles publicist, said: “George is not aware of any attempt to reach him.”

Read the rest here.

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