Hall

Blanche Hall was Marlon Brando’s housekeeper many years ago. Brando’s will was filed in probate after his death in July 2004. The will revealed that Brando had named Hall as a beneficiary in his living trust. A reporter for the producers of Celebrity Justice, a nationally broadcast television program, visited Hall in her room in a retirement home, interviewed her, and portions of the interview were televised. She sued the producers for trespass, intrusion upon seclusion, public disclosure of private facts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and elder abuse. The trial court denied defendants’ special motion to strike the complaint (Code Civ. Proc., § 425.16) because it concluded that the complaint did not arise from an act in furtherance of defendants’ right of petition or free speech in connection with a public issue.

We conclude otherwise. The terms of Brando’s will and living trust were an issue of widespread public interest, and the complaint arises from conduct by defendants in furtherance of their right of free speech in connection with that public issue. The trial court’s conclusion to the contrary was error. Because the court did not reach or decide the…