NEWSRoman Polanski May Work From Chalet Prison
Sept. 29 2009, Published 5:31 a.m. ET
Roman Polanski might be locked up soon -- but not in the slammer. Roman, who is currently being held in a cell in Zurich, may be granted house arrest instead of going to prison, which would enable him to continue working on his latest movie. In 1977 the filmmaker pleaded guilty to having sex with a minor and fled to France soon after, never to return to the U.S.
But this wouldn't be any normal house arrest—the house in question would be his own fabulous Gstaad chalet and could allow him to continue production of his latest film The Ghost, which has been put on hold since his arrest. Not a bad deal!
Roman's lawyers are trying to stop any extradition attempt by claiming that the move by U.S. law enforcement to take him back was illegal. They are asking a Swiss judge to release him from custody, TMZ reports. After Polanski pled guilty in 1977, the judge in that case reneged on the plea agreement, causing Roman to flee to France.
Roman's arrest has led to the halt of his new political thriller The Ghost starring Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor, according to Associated Press. Other cast members include Kim Cattrall, Tom Wilkinson, Olivia Williams, and James Belushi.
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Pierce plays a fictional former British leader who is taken down by his allegiance with the U.S. in the war on terror. The Ghost ironically marks the first film since Roman's 1974 film Chinatown that is set in the U.S.
Roman's agent, International Creative Management chief Jeff Berg, says there are still several months of post-production work like music scoring and sound mixing that has to be done.
Jeff is certain Roman will be able to complete the film soon regardless of his legal troubles. Roman lived through the Holocaust and the 1969 murder of his pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate, by followers of Charles Manson.
"I'm always optimistic when it comes to Roman," Berg said. "He's strong, and he has survived every situation imaginable."
If in the next couple of weeks Roman is granted his release he may be able to survive yet another battle from the comforts of home.
