Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell receives legal notice from Atlanta newspaper over portrayal of female journalist

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has sent Warner Bros, the banner behind Clint Eastwood-directed drama  Richard Jewell , a legal notice over the portrayal of a female journalist in the film. The newspaper says that the film falsely shows how one of their reporters traded sex for stories. Based on Marie Brenner’s article in Vanity Fair, Richard Jewell charts the life of a real-life security guard whose life took a drastic turn after it was revealed to an over-enthusiastic leader that Jewell was a probable suspect in the pipe-bombing at Centennial Park during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. [caption id=“attachment_7764781” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] A still from Richard Jewell. Image from Twitter[/caption] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter, Katy Scruggs, is played by Olivia Wilde, who in the film sleeps with an FBI agent (Jon Hamm) for a scoop. The paper said that there is no evidence of Scrugg being involved with any agent investigating Jewell, according to Variety. The paper, in a letter to Warner Bros, demanded the production house to acknowledge that “some events were imagined for dramatic purposes and artistic license and dramatization were used.” Further, they insisted on adding a disclaimer to the film. Variety reported Warner Bros response, “The film is based on a wide range of highly credible source material. There is no disputing that Richard Jewell was an innocent man whose reputation and life were shredded by a miscarriage of justice. It is unfortunate and the ultimate irony that the Atlanta Journal Constitution, having been a part of the rush to judgment of Richard Jewell, is now trying to malign our filmmakers and cast. Richard Jewell focuses on the real victim, seeks to tell his story, confirm his innocence and restore his name. The AJC’s claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend against them.” However, the statement made no mention of the objections against Scrugg’s depiction in Richard Jewell. The titular role is portrayed by Paul Walter Hauser while Jewell’s attorney is essayed by Sam Rockwell. Kathy Bates plays Jewell’s mother for which she has received a Golden Globe nomination .