I received confirmation this morning from Olivia de Havilland’s counsel, Suzelle Smith, that the Supreme Court has declined to hear the case of Havilland v FX, Olivia de Havilland’s petition to the court to allow her case against FX to go to trial.
It is a disappointing decision, but de Havilland has fought an enormous battle, persevering until the very last recourse. That type of persistence is a quality that she has always had–and clearly continues to have at the age of 102. May we all learn from her, and may we all be so fortunate as to live to see the day when we can act on her example.
From the email this morning: “One day someone else who is wronged for the sake of Hollywood profits will have the courage to stand on the shoulders of Miss de Havilland and fight for the right to defend a good name and legacy against intentional, unconsented exploitation and falsehoods. Miss de Havilland hopes she will live to see the day when such justice is done.”
I want to thank all of you for following this case, and my coverage of it. It has been a true learning experience to do this kind of work, and to examine meticulously the inner workings of a lawsuit of this caliber has been an enormous privilege. While this outcome isn’t what we had hoped, the response to this case in the record number of letters sent to the courtrooms has proven that Olivia de Havilland continues to be loved and supported by people all over the world.
On behalf of myself, everyone involved in the case, all the newspaper and magazine outlets devotedly following the case since the beginning, Olivia de Havilland’s counsel, and everyone who has rooted for truth in media–thank you.
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Backlots 
Thank you for covering this. Olivia is right and FX and Murphy are wrong. She triumphed just by standing up to them and making them think twice.
Thank you, I agree. We can be sure that they’re going to look before they leap now.
The path to justice is made of many steps. Miss de Havilland laid the first stone in what I believe to be a just and necessary endeavour in the recognition of the need to protect the rights of an individual from being appropriated as a social commodity profiting others. In short, I feel that this ruling allows her image and reputation to be prostituted for public consumption with no associated rights of autonomy. Criminal.
I’m in awe of her courage. Also its a shame: she chose to live her life a certain way, with dignity, and what FX did to her is wrong. But man-do I ever admire Ms De Havilland 🙂 And thank you for your respectful coverage of this case.
Best regards,
Carole
Not that she needs my approval, but I am happy to congratulate Miss de Havilland for standing up to the shameful manner that today’s systems will appropriate things that are not rightfully theirs to take. At the same time, to express my frustration that this self-evident victory was taken from her. In any event, as was said, she laid a foundation stone for others to follow, and that is a good thing.