'Queen of Versailles' couple David and Jackie Siegel reach NBC reality show deal
David and Jackie Siegel, subjects of the documentary The Queen of Versailles. Credit: AP
'QUEEN' OF TV. The rich but then financially troubled family in the 2012 documentary "The Queen of Versailles" has reached a deal with NBCUniversal's reality-show production company, Wilshire Studios, for a TV-series sequel -- but one that likely won't involve the film's director and co-producer, Lauren Greenfield, since she and the Siegel family have been at odds. An NBCUniversal representative confirmed to RealScreen.com that a deal was in place but gave no details.
Earlier this month, an arbitrator had ruled that despite the Siegels' claim, the filmmakers had not defamed the family, and patriarch David Siegel was ordered to pay Greenfield's company $750,000. In a second case pitting the family against the filmmakers, a different arbitrator ruled that the Siegels retained their life rights, opening the door to their pitching themselves to other producers.
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'QUEEN' OF TV. The rich but then financially troubled family in the 2012 documentary "The Queen of Versailles" has reached a deal with NBCUniversal's reality-show production company, Wilshire Studios, for a TV-series sequel -- but one that likely won't involve the film's director and co-producer, Lauren Greenfield, since she and the Siegel family have been at odds. An NBCUniversal representative confirmed to RealScreen.com that a deal was in place but gave no details.
Earlier this month, an arbitrator had ruled that despite the Siegels' claim, the filmmakers had not defamed the family, and patriarch David Siegel was ordered to pay Greenfield's company $750,000. In a second case pitting the family against the filmmakers, a different arbitrator ruled that the Siegels retained their life rights, opening the door to their pitching themselves to other producers.
CASTING. Fox is seeking 15 participants able to commit to a full year in a new, utopian community for the upcoming series "Utopia." The network says the show will follow them "as they leave their everyday lives to move to a beautiful, but isolated and undeveloped location. . . . The pioneers will make every decision about how they will live, work and what the rules and laws of 'Utopia' will be." See utopiatv.com/ for details.
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