Chris Pine Entangled in Legal Battle Over Ficus Trees

Chris Pine’s Hollywood Hills neighbor has claimed the actor is barking up the wrong tree(s). As TMZ reports, Pine and music attorney Helen Yu are entangled in a legal battle over his ficus trees, which she alleges are causing destruction to her property.

According to TMZ, Yu claimed in legal documents that Pine has planted more than a dozen ficus trees. Pine’s trees have allegedly encroached on Yu’s property to such an extent that concrete has been uprooted and damage has been done to her home’s foundation.

It’s worth noting that Ficus benjamina are notorious for their potentially destructive roots. In a 1993 report, the United States Forest Service wrote that the tree’s roots “grow rapidly,” with a propensity for “invading gardens, growing under and lifting sidewalks, patios, and driveways.”

Yu originally filed a lawsuit against Pine in 2022, but the two parties quickly went into mediation. However, the conflict escalated when Pine alleged that Yu’s fence was encroaching on his property.

While Yu originally sought a $267,000 settlement and claims she was open to giving him $75,000 in return, the attorney is now seeking more than $500,000 total. This includes $346,000 to cover the costs of repairs and $225,000 in damages for emotional distress.

Pine recently starred in the animated Disney musical Wish and is gearing up for the release of his directorial debut, Poolman, slated to arrive in theaters on May 10th.