Chess Champion Is Suing Netflix Over ‘The Queen’s Gambit’

Chess champion Nona Gaprindashvili is suing Netflix for $5 million for claiming she“lacked skills to play against men.”

Gaprindashvili, a Georgian grandmaster, says a slight in the show has caused irreparable damage to her reputation.

The line in The Queens Gambit regarding Gaprindashvili says “There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”

The camera then pans to a woman in the audience who, the lawsuit said, “is obviously meant to be Gaprindashvili”.

Gaprindashvili has said the misinformation is “manifestly false”, “grossly sexist” and “belittling”.

The lawsuit was filed to the Federal District Court in Los Angeles.

“By 1968, the year in which this episode is set, she had competed against at least 59 male chess players (28 of them simultaneously in one game), including at least 10 grandmasters of that time,” the filing added.

Netflix’s depiction of Gaprindashvili as Russian, not Georgian, added further “insult to injury” according to the lawsuit.

In a statement to NBC News on Thursday, a Netflix representative said: “Netflix has only the utmost respect for Ms Gaprindashvili and her illustrious career, but we believe this claim has no merit and will vigorously defend the case.”

There is no court date at this moment.

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