Hollywood stars prepare for battle
Claire Cozens The Guardian

A high court battle that pits the celebrity magazine Hello! against the husband-and-wife team of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas kicks off in London today, with the world's media in attendance.

Their appearance at the hearing is expected to create one of the biggest media scrums ever seen at the law courts in the Strand.

The pair signed a £1m deal with OK! for exclusive pictures of their £1.2m wedding, but the magazine's arch-rival Hello! snapped surreptitious photos despite tight security.

When the couple learned that Hello! planned to hit the newsstands with a "spoiler" three days before OK!, they won a high court injunction to stop publication.

But the injunction was lifted by the court of appeal in time for both magazines to appear on the same day.

The actors are suing Hello! for £2m for stress, loss of income and damage to their professional careers because of the poor quality of the photos.

They also claim the privacy of their £1.2m wedding at a top New York hotel was invaded by the unwanted photographer.

But the high-profile couple will not make their grand entrance to give evidence until February 10.

Michael Tugendhat QC, representing the couple and OK!, was refused a request for another postponement of the main trial to allow the stars to be present from the beginning.

He said Zeta-Jones had a prior engagement in Berlin for the premiere of her film, Chicago, and her husband was on an assignment for the United Nations in Sierra Leone.

He said: "Mr Douglas wishes to be with his wife in London when she gives evidence, not simply because she is his wife and is seven months pregnant.

"There is another aspect - because a privacy trial is almost a contradiction in terms. This is a case which the Douglases will say they are bringing because of injury to their feelings, intrusion and other matters of a personal nature.

"They never wanted this to be a money claim but the alternative is no claim and so they have chosen a money claim."

They are pursuing Hello!, its Spanish counterpart, Hola!, their proprietor, Eduardo Sanchez-Junco, media consultant the Marquesa De Varela, her company, Neneta Overseas Ltd, and freelance photographer Philip Ramey.

Meanwhile, Zeta-Jones' onscreen performance in Chicago won official recognition last night as she swept to victory at the London Evening Standard Film Awards, ending a run of high-profile disappointments.

The actress, 33, relayed her thank you message via video to the awards ceremony held at London's Savoy Hotel.

See Catherine Zeta Jones new portfolio in Esquire