BEIJING, March 27 -- U.S. actor Randy Quaid has sued the studio and producers behind "Brokeback Mountain" for US$10 million, saying he was underpaid for his supporting role in the acclaimed gay film.

    According to the lawsuit, producers tricked Quaid, 55, into appearing in the movie for what was "effectively a donation of his time" by "falsely representing it as a low-budget, art-house film, with no prospect of making any money.¡±

    The movie, which cost about US$14 million to make, has grossed roughly US$160 million at the box office worldwide.

    Quaid said he agreed to appear in "Brokeback" for a nominal sum ¡ª rather than his customary seven-figure fee plus a percentage of the box office gross ¡ª because the filmmakers convinced him it was a low-budget picture with no commercial potential.

    The director himself, who is not named as a defendant in the suit, told the actor: "We have very little money, everyone is making a sacrifice to make this film," the suit says.

    However, the suit claims "from day one, defendants fully intended the film would not be made on a low budget, would be given a worldwide release and would be supported as the studio picture it always was secretly intended to be."

    Industry guilds, according to the suit, define a "low-budget" film as one made for US$500,000 to US$7 million, far less than the actual budget for "Brokeback."

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)