Hollywood reports that a dispute between the New Zealand actors' union and Sir Peter Jackson over The Hobbit is close to being resolved cannot be confirmed by Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly.
"I can't say a thing," she said, although she did confirm meeting Sir Peter and his film-maker
wife, Fran Walsh, on Friday in an attempt to resolve the dispute over better conditions for actors on his adaptation of the JRR Tolkien book.
"We are hopeful that a meaningful dialogue between [Actors] Equity, Spada [the Screen Production and Development Association] and Three Foot Seven can be established."
The New Zealand Actors' Equity union has been trying to meet the film's producers but has until now been rebuffed by Sir Peter, who said through a spokesman on Friday that The Hobbit could not set a precedent that would affect everyone else in the New Zealand film industry.
Sir Peter has threatened to take the film to Eastern Europe, accusing Australian-based union Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, which is backing the New Zealand union, of "bully-boy" tactics after its call for actors worldwide to boycott The Hobbit.
But the Los Angeles Times has reported that the dispute is "close to being resolved", citing anonymous sources which say production could begin as early as January for a 2012 release.
