Adam Driver accused of attacking actress on Don Quixote set

history was in the spotlight this week. During the Radio Comercial podcast “Era O Que Faltava”, 76-year-old Portuguese actress Lídia Franco told an episode during the filming of Terry Gilliam's “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” in 2018. When talking about acting with Adam Driver, the actress spoke of an alleged aggression by the actor. “Yes, he attacked me on the scene, but it had nothing to do with the scene,” he said, describing the episode as “an attack camouflaged with a chair”.

This Wednesday, February 3, at a time when the revelation was already circulating in several countries, the Portuguese producers of the film officially reacted to address the theme. Now, in a statement sent to NiT, the actress explains that it was not an aggression, but a “misunderstanding”.

Our characters, in the film ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’, had to be physically close ”, explains the actress. “I considered the actor's behavior to be uninspiring because in the preparation of a scene he was not as careful as I think he should have been. Our characters had to be physically close and, each time he got up with the great momentum of the character to do the rest of the scene, the chair where he was sitting touched me with a certain strength, which bothered me. ”


The actress goes on to explain that, despite his “discomfort and the fact that this discomfort is visible, the actor was apparently indifferent, insisting on the same behavior”. Lídia Franco adds that this was what led to his “outburst”, but “without any intention of harming him”. “It wasn't an assault, nor did I ever feel or report that that was the actor's intention. I am sorry for any misunderstanding ”, adds the actress.

In the same program, Lídia Franco revealed some more details about Adam Driver behind the scenes, among them the supposed requirement of not having extras around to look at him. “He demanded, I think by contract, that no one could look at him. If they looked, the extras were immediately fired - which happened ”. The actress also said that the production admitted that it was “hands tied” regarding the actor's alleged attitudes.

To NiT, and without specifically referring to Adam Driver or Lídia Franco, the Portuguese producer Ukbar Filmes, who was involved in the international production of “O Homem que Matou D. Quixote”, stressed that in the context of international productions there are sometimes “ misunderstandings or misinterpretations by both parties ”.

Lídia Franco herself had already admitted to NiT this Wednesday that she had passed the “wrong idea” when referring to such “camouflaged aggression with a chair”. Additional clarifications come to dismiss the matter as a misunderstanding.

However, the Portuguese can expect to see the film made by Terry Gilliam in national cinemas later this year.