Actress loses Saudi job

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 8

Actress loses Saudi job

NZPA-AP Miami Beach It seemed an unlikely role — Zsa Zsa Gabor as Saudi Arabian royalty — and the sharp-tongued Hungarian lost the job yesterday because of a tiff with the sheik bankrolling the movie. Sheik Muhammad al-Fassi sacked Gabor before the pair even met because she made disparaging remarks about him in a dispute over travel expenses, said Chris Christenson, producer of the planned epic on Saudi history. The dispute began when Gabor cancelled a promotional appearance with the sheik, Mr Christenson said yesterday. The actress-socialite, recently in the news for slapping a police officer, demanded travel expenses, and, during discussions with an aide, expressed reservations about the sheik’s character, Mr Christenson said. “She said, ‘I don’t trust him; I’ve heard bad things,’ and he went and told the prince,” Mr Christenson said. “The prince came to me and said, ‘Why would we use (her) if she doesn’t trust me?’ “He said, ‘I will not have anything to do with that.’ ” Gabor, believed to be in her

late 60s or early 70s, denied making disparaging remarks. “How can I say something about someone I don’t even know?” she asked. “I was supposed to go there and read a script. I think this was a publicity stunt to get the press over there.”