Contract catch

Los Angeles , June 15: Angelina Jolie is under fire for trying to restrict media questions during interviews to promote her new film about press freedom, according to reports.

The Oscar-winning actress plays the widow of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in the film A Mighty Heart.

The New York premiere of the film, on Wednesday, was held to support the organisation Reporters Without Borders, which defends journalists against persecution.

But several journalists covering the premiere objected when Jolie’s lawyer demanded they sign pre-interview contracts limiting exactly what they could and could not ask her.

Roger Friedman, the Fox.com writer who covered the event, reported that the agreement required journalists “not ask Jolie any questions regarding her personal relationships. “In the event, the interviewer does ask Jolie any questions regarding her personal relationships, Jolie will have the right to immediately terminate the interview and leave,” the contract continued, he said.

The contract also required that “the interview may only be used to promote the picture”, could not be used in connection with any other story or “used in a manner that is disparaging, demeaning, or derogatory to Jolie”.

Violation of the conditions could lead to the actress suing the journalist and seeking a restraining order.

Fox.com reported that USA Today and the Associated Press cancelled interviews rather than sign the agreement and eventually the actress scrapped all print interviews.