Soldier sues, says 'Hurt Locker' is his story

Soldier sues, says 'Hurt Locker' is his story
By Alan Duke, CNN
March 3, 2010 4:13 p.m. EST

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Soldier says he's basis for main character in "The Hurt Locker," wants credit, portion of proceeds

Film, up for nine Oscars, is about a bomb-disposal expert in Iraq

Writer and producer Mark Boal spent time with unit in Iraq, wrote Playboy article before screenplay

(CNN) -- A U.S. soldier who defused roadside bombs in Iraq wants credit for inspiring the main character in "The Hurt Locker," a movie up for nine Oscars this weekend.

Master Sgt. Jeffrey Sarver filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday claiming writer Mark Boal -- a journalist embedded with his Army unit in Iraq -- based the film's main character on his life.

"They literally transposed his life in the film and then claimed it was a work of fiction," said lawyer Geoffrey Fieger. "The only fiction was the claim it was a work of fiction."

Without directly denying Sarver's claim, the production company said it was "a fictional account of what brave men and women do on the battlefield."
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http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/03/hurt.locker.lawsuit/