Cage settles libel dispute with Turner

Updated 13.20 Fri Apr 04 2008

Keywords: autobiography, book, roses, sue, peggy, film, cage, nicolas, actress, stone, romancing, kathleen, turner

Film stars Nicholas Cage and Kathleen Turner have settled their libel dispute at London's High Court.

The star of National Treasure accepted a substantial donation to charity in settlement of claims in the actress's autobiography that he had twice been arrested for drunk driving and had stolen a dog.

The star of National Treasure accepted a substantial donation to charity in settlement of claims in the actress's autobiography that he had twice been arrested for drunk driving and had stolen a dog

Neither was in court to hear 44-year-old Cage's solicitor, Simon Smith, tell Mr Justice Eady of the "utter falsity" of the allegations in Send Yourself Roses.

He said that an extract of the book, which appeared in the Daily Mail in January, described their experience of working together on the movie Peggy Sue Got Married in 1986.

Mr Smith said that Turner, Associated Newspapers and Headline Publishing Group now accepted that, owing to a mistake on Turner's part and despite the other defendants' publishing in good faith, the allegations were defamatory and false and ought never to have been published.

They personally apologised for the damage caused to Cage's personal and professional reputation and for the considerable distress and embarrassment.

They had agreed to reimburse all his legal costs and make a donation to a charity to benefit the victims of elder abuse.