عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Entertainment

Jean-Paul Guerlain's Partner Says Threatened by Perfumer's Son

Jean-Paul Guerlain's Partner Says Threatened by Perfumer's Son
TT
20
TT

Jean-Paul Guerlain's Partner Says Threatened by Perfumer's Son

Jean-Paul Guerlain's Partner Says Threatened by Perfumer's Son

The partner of Jean-Paul Guerlain on Monday accused the famous perfumer's son of waging a "harassment war" against her and of threatening her on several occasions.

Stephane Guerlain, the only son of Jean-Paul Guerlain, was summoned to court in Versailles, outside Paris, by Christina Kragh Michelsen, his father's companion. However, he was not present and was represented by his lawyer, said AFP.

The hearing was the latest judicial episode in the battle between Kragh, a 64-year-old French-Danish woman, and Stephane Guerlain, son of the man who ran Guerlain -- one of the world's oldest perfume houses -- for almost half a century.

Jean-Paul Guerlain, 85, one of the richest men in France, now suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Kragh has been with him since 2005.

Kragh was acquitted last autumn by a court of "neglecting a person incapable of protecting himself". The public prosecutor has appealed against this acquittal.

The woman's lawyer said that Guerlain's son is driven by his hatred for his client and wants to "break her down" by waging a "permanent harassment war".

When Stephane Guerlain "arrives in the house, he follows me everywhere", said Kragh. He takes unilateral decisions such as "turning off the heating" in their property in a Paris suburb, she added.

Kragh has no "financial interest" in staying with Guerlain senior, but is doing so "out of love", said her lawyer Frederic Belot. She has "lost sleep, lost a lot of weight" and suffers from "psychological problems", he added.

Stephane Guerlain's defense team described their client as "an extremely tired man who has been trying for 10 years to protect his father's interests".

The court listened to a recording in which Stephane Guerlain, a lawyer, called Kragh a "bitch" and a "scumbag" and threatened, according to her, to "put her head in a haystack".

Kragh is seeking 70,000 euros ($73,600) in damages.

The public prosecutor's office did not agree with the plaintiff, noting that several of the claims were unsubstantiated.

The court will deliver its decision on Friday.

French luxury giant LVMH took over the Guerlain brand in 1994. Jean-Paul Guerlain remained as master perfumer until he retired in 2002.

Most Viewed

 
Entertainment

How Lewis Hamilton and Apple Brought F1 Racing to the Movie Screen 

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT
20
TT

How Lewis Hamilton and Apple Brought F1 Racing to the Movie Screen 

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari waves to the crowd on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Getty Images/AFP)

Racing legend Lewis Hamilton, a producer on an upcoming movie starring Brad Pitt as a fictional Formula 1 driver, wanted the film to show the reality of what it looks, feels and sounds like to speed around a track at 200 miles per hour.

To avoid having Apple's "F1 The Movie" seem "faked" by Hollywood, Hamilton provided input on details such as when drivers should brake or shift gears. The film will be released in theaters by Warner Bros on June 27.

"I really wanted to make sure the authenticity was there, and it worked for both the younger and the older audience, and then making sure that the racing was true to what it is," Hamilton said in an interview with Reuters Television.

"All the other drivers, all the teams, are relying on me to make sure that it does," the seven-time world champion added.

In the movie, Pitt plays a driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a young hotshot portrayed by Damson Idris. Co-stars include Javier Bardem and Kerry Condon.

Portions of the film were shot during real-life F1 events in Abu Dhabi, Mexico City and other Grand Prix stops. The filmmakers would shoot on the tracks during short breaks in the races. Pitt and Idris drove themselves in professional race cars at high speeds.

Before filming started, Hamilton said he met with Pitt at a racetrack in Los Angeles so he could size up the actor's driving skills.

"I really wanted to see, can you actually drive?" Hamilton said. A longtime motorcycle rider and racing fan, Pitt showed a baseline ability at that point that made Hamilton comfortable.

"He already had the knack," Hamilton said, which the actor further developed through weeks of intense training. "He really went in deep," Hamilton said.

"F1" was directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the team that put together the thrilling fighter-jet scenes in 2022 blockbuster film "Top Gun: Maverick."

For "F1," they needed new cameras that would work in race cars, which can be slowed down by extra weight.

Producing partner Apple, which began releasing movies in 2019, was able to help.

The company used some of its iPhone technology to adapt a camera system typically used in real F1 cars during TV broadcasts. The hardware looked like a traditional F1 camera but delivered the high-resolution video that the filmmakers wanted for the big screen.

"This movie was just a great example of putting the whole of the company behind a movie," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said. "We designed the camera that went into the car to capture the incredible driving experience. It makes you feel like you're actually sitting in the car and experiencing what Brad is experiencing."

Cook said he felt the movie showcased the athleticism required to rise to the elite ranks of F1 driving. Hamilton said he had encouraged more examples of the sport's physical challenges. Drivers can lose five or 10 pounds, he said, from the exertion during a race.

"You have to be able to show that part of it. You're training. You're conditioning your body," Hamilton said. "The car, it beats you up."