Oscar-winner Dustin Lance Black is set to stand trial for assault after allegedly throwing a drink over a TV presenter during a night-out with Olympic diving star husband Tom Daley.
The 48-year-old screenwriter has been charged with assault after the altercation with Teddy Edwardes, 32, at the Freedom bar in Soho on 18 August 2022.
Ms Edwardes, who presents The Big Proud Party Agency on BBC3, says she invited Black and Daley to sit with her, but an argument later broke out.
Black, who won an Academy Award for his writing on the movie Milk, appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday morning via videolink from his Los Angeles home.
Wearing a blue pullover and black framed glasses, he spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address and indicated a plea of not guilty to one charge of assault by beating.
Black, who also has a home in Southwark in London, was released on unconditional bail by District Judge John Law until a trial which has been set for August 8.
Ms Edwardes has been given permission to give her evidence from behind a screen during the trial, which is expected to last four hours.
At the time of the incident, the Met Police said both parties had made allegations of common assault.
“At 00:19hrs on Thursday, 18 August police were called to a licensed premises in Wardour Street following reports of an altercation between two customers.
“Officers attended and spoke to those involved.
“Both parties, a 48-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, made allegations of common assault.
“There were no reports of any injuries and no arrests. Enquiries are ongoing.”
In a video about the incident on Instagram, Ms Edwardes said Black became upset when she asked security to “move on” a stranger who had joined their table.
“I went out for a couple of quiet drinks with some friends last night, nothing crazy and I bumped into Tom Daley and his husband in Soho, who pretty much unprovoked he threw an entire drink over me in Freedom”, she said.
“I didn’t have a drink to throw back so I did choose violence, but I wasn’t that violent, he got a little tap on the head.
“Tell me why he is crying outside saying it’s a targeted attack and he’s traumatised and called the police, so I have to wait for hours and now I have been cautioned and have to go in for interviews.”
Ms Edwardes added in her video that Daley “was lovely throughout” and had been “just trying to diffuse the situation”.
In a statement after the court hearing, a spokesperson for Black said he was “surprised and saddened to learn that after the other person involved in this unfortunate incident took responsibility and expressed remorse for a punch to the back of Mr Black’s head - which left him with a life altering concussion - a decision was made to now examine the matter of a spilled drink in a court of law.
“Of course Mr Black will respect the process, and in the meantime will continue to focus on being a loving father and husband.”
He told Variety magazine last October that he had suffered a head injury and was in recovery.
“It takes a long time to come up with the next thought or word. It’s going to come back and the doctors are saying that hopefully by before Christmas, I’ll be back to Lance”, he said.
Black and Daley married in 2017 and announced the birth of their second son earlier this month.
