"Plagiarism Allegations Surround Alexander Payne's 'The Holdovers'"
Screenwriter Simon Stephenson alleges that the Oscar-nominated screenplay for "The Holdovers" is extremely similar to his own 2013 Black List spec script, "Frisco," and suggests that director Alexander Payne likely read his script. The credited screenwriter for "The Holdovers," David Hemingson, has a background in TV writing and producing. Stephenson's script, "Frisco," had been submitted before Payne began work on "The Holdovers," and there is a paper trail of emails suggesting Payne was aware of it. The WGA has been contacted about the claim, and Payne has stated that he was involved in shaping the "Holdovers" script despite not taking a screen credit.