It was a hit film, but “The Wolf of Wall Street” has now spawned a bitter lawsuit from a lawyer who alleges defamation over the character Nicky “rugrat” Roskoff, alleging that the character in the movie was based on himself, Andrew Greene.
Actor P.J. Byrne plays the Rugrat character in the Oscar-nominated Wall Street fraud-and-frolicking stockbroker drama, who earns his nickname because of his toupee along with his involvement in the money laundering business. Attorney Greene alleges in his lawsuit that the drama has “permanently damaged” his professional and personal reputation by portraying him as “a criminal and drug user with misogynistic tendencies,” according to CNN.
“In one scene, Mr. Greene’s character is depicted shaving a woman’s head after Jordan Belfort’s character states the woman was offered $10,000,” the suit says, adding “Mr. Greene’s character is shown doing cocaine on company premises during business hours in another scene.” Greene’s suit complains that the movie mocks his toupee in an “egregiously offensive manner” and that the lawyer’s real-life nickname is “Wigwam” because he often wears a hairpiece.
“Mr. Greene will be permanently linked to the crimes and loathsome behavior portrayed by his likeness in the motion picture, despite never having been interviewed, questioned, charged, imprisoned, or even arrested for the illicit and despicable behavior shown in the motion picture,” the complaint said.
The Wolf of Wall Street has gained profile and notoriety for its multiple scenes of drug use and sexual depravity.
“The motion picture included other scenes depicting Mr. Greene’s character in a reckless and depraved manner, including more than one scene wherein his character is depicted having sexual relations with a prostitute,” says the Greene lawsuit.
