Disney+ sued by Marian Price over IRA murder portrayal in "Say Nothing"

Marian Price, a veteran of the Irish Republican Army, is suing Disney+ for its depiction of her in the FX/Hulu series “Say Nothing,” claiming that her portrayal alleges she was involved in the murder of Jean McConville. McConville was one of the 17 members of the Disappeared, who were kidnapped, killed, and secretly buried by the IRA during the decades-spanning Northern Ireland Conflict, more commonly known as the Troubles. 

In the series — which Disney+ hosts internationally — Price is depicted as McConville’s murderer, though an episode disclaimer states that Price denies any involvement with the shooting. Now, Price is leveling litigation against Disney+, claiming that the streamer is seeking to entertain audiences at her expense.

“Such allegations published on an international scale are not only unjustified, but they are odious insofar as they seek to cause our client immeasurable harm in exchange for greater streaming success,” Price’s lawyer Peter Corrigan said in a statement. “Our client has now been forced to initiate legal proceedings to hold Disney to account for their actions.”

“Given the context, it is difficult to envisage a more egregious allegation than the one to which has been leveled against our client,” the statement continued. “It is clear that the instant allegation is not based on a single iota of evidence.”

“Say Nothing” opens with McConville’s disappearance before tracking the decades-long story of the Troubles. McConville’s son, Michael, called the series “cruel” in an interview with “The Irish News” in November. “Disney is renowned for entertainment,” he said. “My mother’s death is not ‘entertainment’ for me and my family.”