Bob Dylan is concerned that Sienna Miller's new film 'Factory Girls' falsely implies he is responsible for the suicide of Edie Sedgwick.
Sedgwick, a prot??g?? of Andy Warhol, died in 1971 aged 28 from am overdose of barbiturates after enduring several years of deteriorating physical and mental health. She met Bob Dylan in the mid-60s after leaving Warhol's circle.Miller plays Sedgwick in the film, which implies that her decline was a result of Dylan dumping her. Whilst it's been said that Sedgwick had a crush on the folk legend, Dylan has denied that the two were ever in a relationship.
The male character in the film is named Billy Quinn, and is said to be a composite of Dylan, Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger. Dylan remains concerned that the character too closely resembles himself, and he has the support of critics in this regard, according to his lawyer Orin Snyder.
"You appear to be labouring under the misunderstanding that merely changing the name of a character or making him a purported fictional composite will immunise you from suit," Mr Snyder wrote in a letter to production company The Weinstein Company.
"That is not so. Even though Mr Dylan's name is not used, the portrayal remains both defamatory and a violation of Mr Dylan's right of publicity. Until we are given an opportunity to view the film, we hereby demand that all distribution and screenings... immediately be ceased."
The producers still plan to release the film in the United States on December 29.
