Netflix Settles $5M Defamation Lawsuit Over Accused Falsehood of Real Chess Champion in The Queen’s Gambit
Netflix has settled a lawsuit brought by a real chess champion over a “sexist and belittling” line about her in The Queen’s Gambit.
Court papers on Tuesday showed the streamer settled the $5 million defamation lawsuit, which was brought by chess champion Nona Gaprindashvili, according to The New York Times. Terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed.
Gaprindashvili sued Netflix last year over a reference to her in the miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, which revolves around a fictional female chess prodigy. A climatic scene depicts the main character, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, competing in a chess tournament, where the announcer says, “The only unusual thing about her, really, is her sex, and even that’s not unique in Russia. There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”
