She sued Netflix for the equivalent of 4.24 million euros in the fall. Federal Judge Virginia Phillips allowed the lawsuit, saying the fact that the series is a work of fiction does not exempt Netflix from liability for defamation.
The lawsuit, which Gaprindashvili filed with the California state court, alleges that the portrayal of her was sexist and derogatory. A character’s claim that the Georgian has never played against men in chess tournaments has been proven false. The 80-year-old had played against dozens of male competitors in 1968, the year in which the series is also set. In addition, Gaprindashvili was described in the “Women’s Gambit” as a Russian instead of a Georgian.
Netflix’s lawyers had tried to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that the series was a work of fiction and was therefore protected by freedom of expression.
“The Queen’s Gambit” is Netflix’s most successful mini-series ever. According to the streaming service, 62 million households watched the story of fictional chess genius Beth Harmon in the first 28 days alone. The series, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, skyrocketed chessboard sales worldwide.
This message was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk Nova on January 30, 2022.