Chris Pine locked in a legal battle with neighbour around invasive weeping figs; read more FilmyMeet

Over the past few months, it looks like Chris Pine has locked trunks with his neighbour over a tree dispute. The Princess Diaries (2001) heartthrob has been ordered to attend a deposition in a legal dispute with his neighbour, Helen Yu. The conflict began in 2022 when Yu alleged that Pine’s installation of several Ficus Benjamina trees (also known as weeping figs) had caused significant encroachment onto her property. 

Yu’s lawsuit claims that the invasive root systems of the trees have led to substantial damage, including cracked walls and issues with plumbing and her pool, creating an unsafe environment and hindering her enjoyment of her home. Chris has countered with a lawsuit of his own, asserting that a fence Yu installed was misplaced by eight to ten feet onto his property when he bought his home in 2010.

While Yu has been trying to depose Chris since January 2023, the actor has remained evasive as he failed to appear for a deposition scheduled for October 2. Her team expressed concern, stating that Pine may be attempting to avoid the deposition. Either Pine does not want to be deposed, or his counsel is attempting to get around the trial court’s ruling denying his most recent application to continue the trial by refusing to cooperate in scheduling Pine’s deposition and enabling discovery to be completed. In either case, the behaviour is unacceptable,” read the lawsuit. 

In his response, Chris cited his attorney’s commitments to a lengthy trial in San Diego, which has limited their ability to schedule depositions. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has now set the deposition for October 25 during which Pine must provide requested documents. Looks like their rivalry has really taken root!