Blue is the Warmest Color Director Threatens Legal Action Against Léa Seydoux

On Wednesday, Kechiche penned an open letter published on the website Rue89, in which he takes aim at his stars, a French newspaper, and most everybody who’s disagreed with his “methods.” Though the film took home the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the lead up to the official release of the film has been dominated by public disputes, where Kechiche had at one point called for the film not be released only to backtrack on the statement a few weeks later. 

 

In the scathing letter on Rue89, Kechiche continues his theme of calling his leading star, Seydoux, an “arrogant, spoiled child,” but this time threatens possible legal action for her criticism. In an interview this summer with The Daily Beast, Seydoux and Exarchopoulos expounded on the grueling five-month shoot, referring to Kechiche as a “genius,” albeit tortured. Furthermore, on a shoot that included 10 days of filming sex scenes, the young actress claimed there was a “kind of manipulation, which was hard to handle,” and went on to say she’d never work the director again, according to The Daily Beast.

 

Innitially, Kechiche fired back at his stars, particularly at 28-year-old Seydoux -- whose prominent family owns Pathé, the world-renowned film equipment and production company that was founded in 1896 -- essentially calling her privileged and spoiled.

 

The film, based on Julia Maroh’s graphic novel, the film version of Blue runs nearly three hours and includes lengthy and unbridled lesbian sex scenes. It also includes a frighteningly real fight scene between the young lovers played by Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux (Farewell My Queen, Midnight in Paris).

 

Watch the U.S. trailer for some on-screen drama: