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Angelina Jolie Denies Plagiarism Charge Against Directorial Debut: "It's Par for the Course"

Wed., Dec. 7, 2011 10:06 AM PST by Gina Serpe

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Well, that didn't take long.

Just a couple of days ago, Angelina Jolie's artistic integrity was called into question when a Croatian journalist filed suit against the movie star, claiming she plagiarized his book when crafting her directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey.

And now, the actress has spoken out against the claims. So, what does she have to say?

MORE: Is Angie's new movie a total rip-off?

Turns out, the best defense is…well, simply being above the fray to begin with.

During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Jolie expertly brushed off the lawsuit and its claims of plot pilfering.

"It's par for the course," she said. "It happens on almost every film."

MORE: What's the one topic Angelina and Brad agree to disagree on?

And while the star is quick to acknowledge that she used a wide range of source material for the film, despite his allegations to the contrary, James Braddock's The Subject Work was not one of them.

"There are many books and documentaries that I did pull from," she told the paper. "It's a combination of many people's stories. But that particular book I've never seen."

Forget staying above the fray. The best defense is knowing you're not in the wrong to begin with.