The Lawsuit Against Tea Shop Productions
Executive producer Leonora Ann Darby filed suit in California state court against Tea Shop Productions and its co-founders, James Harris and Mark Lane, alleging the pair reneged on a 2024 agreement granting her one-third of net profits on films she lead-produced and participation in the film's collection account management. According to the filing, Darby was credited as executive producer on "Obsession" but functioned as a lead producer inside the company. Her attorney, Thomas K. Richards of Singh, Singh and Trauben, said in a statement: "Ms. Darby has brought serious and substantial claims, supported by a detailed factual record. She is confident in her case and intends to pursue it fully." The Hollywood Reporter reported that Tea Shop Productions and director Curry Barker had not publicly responded as of press time.
The Alleged Role in 'Obsession'
Darby joined Tea Shop Productions in 2019 as a development and production executive and produced titles including "A Banquet" (2021), "The Surfer" (2024) and "Tornado" (2025). In the complaint, she alleges she "rescued" the film after editing duties were taken away from Barker and handed to a new editor, resulting in a cut "mired in an edit that was not working." The suit claims Darby helped restore the edit to Barker, called for reshoots, and contributed "fundamental and critical creative and structural notes that changed the course of the film," including the decision to make the One Wish Willow a real element in the story. She also allegedly took a leadership role in finalizing delivery to the Toronto International Film Festival, where Focus Features acquired the film for $16.2 million.
The Box Office Stakes
Made for under a million dollars (a reported $750,000 budget), "Obsession" has crossed $500 million globally, with one source citing a $505 million haul. The complaint contends that once the film became a hit, Harris and Lane "repeatedly breached and violated the 2024 agreement" by cutting Darby out of net profit participation. The filing alleges Harris offered Darby an initial $300,000 payment plus a continued share of net profits in the spring, after which her access to collection account information was revoked.
A Broader Pattern of Allegations
The suit frames Darby's treatment as "a seven-year pattern of unequal treatment and broken compensation promises by two older male film producers to a younger female producer whose labor was material to the growth of their company and who rescued their biggest film." Darby is also alleging she was deliberately not invited to the film's Los Angeles premiere and denied public recognition for her contributions. Separately, art director Sally Choi said in June that she had received roughly $7,000 for her work on the film, a figure not disputed in the current filings. Darby is seeking a complete accounting of several projects, including "Obsession," and any unpaid profit shares and bonuses owed to her.
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