In the series, a character claims that Gaprindashvili “has never faced men” in a competition, unlike the fictional heroine of “Lady’s Gambit”, the American Beth Harmon, played by Anya Taylor-Joy.
“It is manifestly false, as well as grossly sexist and demeaning,” specifies the complaint filed last September by the champion, now 80 years old.
the complainant, who in 1978 became the first chess grandmaster in history, had already faced dozens of outstanding male players in 1968, the year “Queen’s Gambit” is supposed to take place.
Netflix denied wanting to offend the champion and said in a press release that it had “the utmost respect for Gaprindashvili and her illustrious career.”
The platform, however, at the time described this complaint as “unfounded”, arguing that it is a work of fiction protected by the US Constitution and its first amendment, which guarantees freedom of expression.
In a decision issued Thursday, California Judge Virginia Phillips ruled that a work of fiction is not immune from libel suits if it harms real people.
Born in 1941 in Zugdidi, in western Georgia, Nona Gaprindashvili has been playing chess since she was 13 years old. She won the women’s world championship at 20 and successfully defended her title four times, before losing her crown in 1978 to another 17-year-old Georgian, Maia Chibourdanidze.
“The Queen’s Gambit” broke records with 62 million views worldwide in four weeks and won 11 Emmy Awards.