Everything in Alexander Payne’s film The Holdovers has come under scrutiny just one day before potentially winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The movie has been accused of plagiarism by Simon Stephenson, who claims that the screenplay was stolen line by line from his 2013 script Frisco. The story of a disgruntled teacher taking care of a 15-year-old student in Holdovers mirrors Stephenson’s story of a doctor looking after a 15-year-old patient in Frisco.
Stephenson reached out to the Writers Guild of America with evidence of the alleged plagiarism, including emails and documents that were reviewed and published by Variety. Despite the overwhelming evidence, representatives for Payne, Hemingson, and others involved have not responded to requests for comment. Stephenson has been in discussions with the WGA to address his claims, alleging that Payne had access to his script prior to working on The Holdovers with Hemingson.
In emails shared with the WGA, Stephenson expressed his frustration at the situation, claiming that the entire screenplay of The Holdovers was copied from his work. He presented detailed documents outlining the similarities between the two scripts, but was ultimately directed to consider legal action as the most viable option. The current status of the case remains uncertain.
While Payne is not credited as a writer on The Holdovers, he has admitted to supervising the script development process. He cited inspiration from a French film for the story, which centers around a teacher looking after students over the holidays. The Holdovers is nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
The controversy surrounding the alleged plagiarism has cast a shadow over the film’s Oscar prospects, raising questions about the integrity of the screenplay and the creative process behind it. As the industry grapples with issues of intellectual property and originality, the outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for future collaborations and the recognition of creative work in Hollywood.
