Rob Lowe Sticks Up For Celebrity Rights In Suit Against Nanny

Posted by Eriq Gardner

We love court filings that open with operatic gusto about the plight of the rich and famous, as is the case in a lawsuit filed yesterday by Rob Lowe and his wife against a nanny who they accuse of blabbing dirty secrets about the couple.

Here's the opening to Lowe's complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court:

"We live in an age where information can be distributed worldwide in a matter of seconds. That type of access, combined with the public's thirst for details about the private lives of celebrities, has forced celebrities to zealously guard their privacy and the privacy interests of their loved ones. This requires that those in their employ be trustworthy and loyal because any information about a celebrity from his/her employee -- no matter how patently false -- will be instantaneously disseminated and (at least initially) believed to be true."

The complaint, filed by Stanton "Larry" Stein at Dreier Stein in Santa Monica, goes on to allege that one Laura Boyce was charged with the care of the two children of Rob and Sheryl Lowe, that she signed a confidentiality agreement, and that she betrayed the confidence and agreement by spreading falsehoods.

Problem is, the complaint doesn't get into much detail about what specific lies were spread and to whom. Lowe did reveal on the Huffington Post that "A former employee is demanding my wife Sheryl and I pay her $1.5 million by the end of the week or she will accuse us both of a vicious laundry list of false terribles."

Perhaps this means that Boyce has given an interview somewhere and that some media outlet is prepared to spill the beans. According to the complaint, Boyce's employment contract forbids her from giving "any interviews (whether oral or written) or write or prepare, or assist in preparation of any books, articles, programs, or other oral or written communications dealing with the business or personal affairs of the 'Lowe's'..."

Lowe is suing for breach of written contract, defamation, breach of the duty of loyalty, breach of fiduciary duties, both intentional infliction and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and both intentional and negligent misrepresentation.

The fact that Boyce's alleged defamation hasn't appeared anywhere in the media yet makes this a pretty strange case. And it's also somewhat customary in these situations for the celebrity to sue the media organization prepared to tortiously interfere with a contract. Which leads us to wonder whether this lawsuit, and the grand opening, might merely be intended to scare off Boyce. We'll see if this suit goes any further.