Two years after allegedly stiffing Canadian talent and crew, producers of a feature film about Casablanca Records boss Neil Bogart have found a new home to complete production.
According to a report Thursday at Deadline, “production is now underway in New Jersey" on Spinning Gold, which has added Wiz Khalifa to its cast.
The biopic began filming in Montreal on July 15, 2019 and was scheduled to continue until Sept. 20, 2019. About a month into filming, talent union ACTRA issued a “Do Not Work” order to its members, alleging Spinning Gold LLC and the numbered Quebec company it was required to register were “unfair engagers for failure to meet payroll obligations.”
The union prohibited its members “from accepting work” on the film or risk “disciplinary action.”
AQTIS, the union representing technical crew, said producers owed workers about $600,000 in wages. It claimed producer Alex Habrich asked crew members to work for free in exchange for two percent of future profits. (Update: AQTIS said its issues with Spinning Gold LLC have been resolved and its members have been paid. ACTRA did not respond to a request for comment.)
The late Bogart, who is credited with launching acts like KISS and The Village People, is portrayed in the film – directed by son Timothy Bogart – by Jeremy Jordan.
Spinning Gold has been in the works for a long time, with Justin Timberlake attached to the project as early as 2013. He dropped out of playing the lead role.