The Holdovers, a film starring Paul Giamatti, has been nominated for best original screenplay at the Oscars but is facing controversy. Screenwriter Simon Stephenson claims that the script for The Holdovers has striking similarities to his own unproduced screenplay, Frisco. Stephenson has sent documents to the WGA comparing scenes and overall structure of the two scripts and is seeking help. Among the similarities highlighted is an early scene involving the protagonist being reprimanded by a politician, which appears in both scripts with slight variations. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to representatives for further comments. The Holdovers is competing against Maestro, Anatomy of a Fall, May December, and Past Lives for the best original screenplay award at the Oscars.
Alexander Payne and David Hemingson, the director and writer of The Holdovers respectively, have previously shared about the movie’s origins. Payne had a long-standing desire to create a film set in a boarding school, while Hemingson’s unproduced TV pilot set in a school caught Payne’s attention. Hemingson received a surprising call from Payne about writing the screenplay for The Holdovers, which he initially thought was a prank until realizing it was indeed Payne on the other end of the line.
This controversy adds an unexpected twist to The Holdovers’ journey to the Oscars. With such similarities between the scripts, it will be interesting to see how this situation is resolved and if any further actions are taken. This revelation may impact the film’s chances at the prestigious award show, but only time will tell. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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