A little over a month ago, Randy Quaid sued the makers of Brokeback Mountain for $10 million. He claimed that Focus Features deliberately short-changed him for his role as a homophobic rancher, by saying that it was “a low-budget, art-house film, with no prospect of making any money.". Brokeback then proceeded to make $160 million worldwide and came this-close to snagging an Oscar for best picture.
But now, according to Reuters, the lawsuit has been dropped. His publicist announced yesterday that the studio agreed to pay him a bonus, which he plans to split with other main cast members. Quaid has scored quite a victory.
Or has he?
Focus Features claims that no such deal exists. "The circumstances of him dropping the suit are as mysterious as the circumstances under which he filed his claim," they responded. Quaid insists that a deal was made through what he calls a “back-door communication”.
Perhaps that terminology is a nice way of saying that it never happened, and he’s officially lost his marbles. Why did he file the lawsuit anyway? He was in the movie for a few minutes, and frankly, he should be happy at this point that anyone is casting him instead of his super-stud brother. I think he probably realizes the lawsuit was a dumb idea, and now is covering his ass with a phoney victory announcement. Survey says: Keep Randy away from the nearest couch.
