A former Harrison Township (Michigan) resident alleges he is the real-life version of the lead character depicted in the Academy Award-nominated film "The Hurt Locker."
Master Sgt. Jeffrey S. Sarver will file a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the makers of the film, Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger (oh lawd) said in a news release today.
The film, nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, depicts the adventures of Sgt. William James as the leader of an explosives disposal unit in Iraq.
Fieger said in a news release James is in fact Sarver.
"The suit alleges that, for reasons that can only be explained by greed, the movie's screenwriter and makers decided to cheat Master Sgt. Sarver (a man who repeatedly risked his life for his country) out of financial participation in the film, and any acknowledgement of his heroic actions in Iraq," Fieger said in the release.
"Master Sgt. Sarver only learned of the appropriation of his identity after the film's release."
Sarver, 38, reached at his home in Clarksville, Tenn., confirmed he will be in Southfield on Wednesday for the news conference announcing the lawsuit. Sarver confirmed he is a former resident of Harrison Township in Macomb County but declined further comment.
Fieger alleges screenwriter Mark Boal was embedded in Sarver's unit in Iraq and "virtually all of the situations portrayed in the film were, in fact, occurrences involving Master Sgt. Sarver that were observed and documented by screenwriter Boal."
Boal could not immediately be reached for comment.
Actor Jeremy Renner plays the role of James in the film.
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