A man depicted as a terrorist in the film Brüno is now suing actor Sacha Baron Cohen and NBC Universal Studios for over $125 million dollars in damages, according to the Daily Telegraph.
As we previously told you, Cohen's depiction of Ayman Abu Aita - referred to in the Brüno film as "Aiman," a Bethlehem terrorist leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade - raised some serious ire of not only the man himself, but also the terrorist group who threatened to respond against Cohen in whichever way they found "suitable."
But Aita's response came in the more traditional legal sense when he and his lawyer appeared in Washington, DC Tuesday (December 8) to announce the filing of a libel and slander lawsuit against Cohen and the producers of the film.
According to the Wall Street Journal's law blog, the lawsuit claims that Aita, a Christian grocery store owner from Bethlehem, was led to believe he was participating in a German film about the Palestinian cause.
Aita says had he known the interview was for a film of Brüno's nature, he never would have agreed to the interview. Aita also claims he has received death threats since the release of the film and that his reputation in the community has been irrecoverably damaged.
The lawsuit is calling for upwards of $125 million in damages, about half of what the racy comedy film pulled in at the box office, and the removal of the Brüno DVD from commercial distribution.
As we previously told you, Cohen's depiction of Ayman Abu Aita - referred to in the Brüno film as "Aiman," a Bethlehem terrorist leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade - raised some serious ire of not only the man himself, but also the terrorist group who threatened to respond against Cohen in whichever way they found "suitable."
But Aita's response came in the more traditional legal sense when he and his lawyer appeared in Washington, DC Tuesday (December 8) to announce the filing of a libel and slander lawsuit against Cohen and the producers of the film.
According to the Wall Street Journal's law blog, the lawsuit claims that Aita, a Christian grocery store owner from Bethlehem, was led to believe he was participating in a German film about the Palestinian cause.
Aita says had he known the interview was for a film of Brüno's nature, he never would have agreed to the interview. Aita also claims he has received death threats since the release of the film and that his reputation in the community has been irrecoverably damaged.
The lawsuit is calling for upwards of $125 million in damages, about half of what the racy comedy film pulled in at the box office, and the removal of the Brüno DVD from commercial distribution.
