Netflix Has Settled a Defamation Suit Over The Queen's Gambit
The Netflix drama The Queen's Gambit might have been an instant hit—it was nominated for 18 Emmy awards—when it debuted in 2020, but not everyone was a fan. Specifically, Nona Gaprindashvili, a real-life female chess grandmaster, was not pleased. Netflix settled a defamation suit this week with Gaprindashvili over a specific mention of her on the show.
Gaprindashvili's claim extends from a moment in the show's final episode, when an announcer says during a tense match between the series's protagonist, Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) and a male chess champion that, "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."
Gaprindashvili had, in fact, reportedly faced 59 male competitors by 1968, when the series is set, and brought forth a defamation suit against the streamer last September, calling the reference "grossly sexist and belittling."
In January, Netflix tried to have the suit dismissed on First Amendment grounds, but a judge rejected that argument, stating, "The fact that the Series was a fictional work does not insulate Netflix from liability for defamation if all the elements of defamation are otherwise present."
While the exact nature of this week's settlement reached have not been revealed, Gaprindashvili's attorney Alexander Rufus-Isaacs told Variety, "The parties are pleased that the matter has been resolved." A spokesperson for Netflix echoed the sentiment, saying "We are pleased the matter has been resolved."
Though this lawsuit is now resolved, Netflix recently was hit with another defamation suit; Rachel DeLoache Williams is currently suing the streamer over her portrayal in Inventing Anna.
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