Sandy and Terry delve into the latest plagiarism controversy. The Alexander Payne-directed film The Holdovers didn’t win for the Best Original Screenplay at the 96th Oscars, but Da’Vine Joy Randolph did take home the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film is highly regarded by critics and audiences alike. In early March 2024, reporter Tatiana Siegel at Variety published a report on allegations made by Simon Stephenson, a screenwriter who worked on films such as Luca and Paddington 2. In a 33-page document, Simon claims that The Holdovers, written by David Hemingson, was transposed from his unproduced script, Frisco and that the similarities are “line-by-line” and have been routinely described as “brazen.” 

Research for this episode includes: 

Variety’s Tatiana Siegel article, Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’ Accused of Plagiarism by ‘Luca’ Writer (EXCLUSIVE)https://variety.com/2024/film/news/the-holdovers-accused-plagiarism-luca-writer-1235935605/

The Wrap’s Mike Roe article, Prominent Screenwriters Skeptical of Claims ‘The Holdovers’ Was Plagiarized https://www.thewrap.com/the-holdovers-plagiarized-luca-writer-claims-robert-king/

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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