GEORGE CLOONEY - CLOONEY SUED FOR PLAGIARISM

GEORGE CLOONEY's production company is facing legal action over allegations from a French screenwriter his Oscar-winning oil thriller SYRIANA was copied. STEPHANIE VERGNIAULT is suing Section Eight, as well as the movie's other makers - Warner Bros and director STEPHEN GAGHAN - for plagiarising at least 15 scenes from her own script, OVERSIGHT, developed between 1997 and 2003. Gaghan claims inspiration from CIA agent ROBERT BAER's book SEE NO EVIL, but Vergniault insists the similarities to her film project are even more pronounced and is seeking $2.45 million (GBP1.4 million) in damages. A spokesman for Warner Bros has slammed her accusations as "without merit", adding, "We will defend our position in court." The political drama earned its star George Clooney a best supporting actor Academy Award last month (05MAR06). It was originally entered into the best adapted screenplay Oscar category but organisers moved it to into the original screenplay section.