As Halle Berry gears up for the release of her feature directorial debut Bruised on Netflix, she’s also facing a lawsuit.
Former UFC fighter Cat Zingano is suing the actress, alleging Berry passed on her after first offering a role in the movie, according to TMZ.
Legal docs say the pair met in summer 2019 to discuss Bruised and that Berry said Zingano was a great fit for the part. The film centers on the story of a mixed martial arts fighter named Jackie Justice.
Zingano says Berry told her to clear her schedule since film production was beginning soon. However, the UFC soon reached out and asked Zingano to take part in a huge fight. She alleges that she spoke to Berry about the opportunity and the actress said Zingano had to turn down the fight offer if she wanted to be involved with the movie, seemingly due to insurance issues.
Zingano mulled over the decision and decided to pass on the fight. However, she says after she was let go from her UFC contract, Berry told her she couldn’t be in the film because they only work with UFC fighters. Zingano also claims Berry stopped speaking to her. The Bellator fighter is now seeking damages, though it’s unclear what she is suing for in particular.
Bruised premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival last September, and is now slated to release via Netflix on Nov. 24.
