Producers for Jason Isaacs’ new movie, The Salt Path, have spoken out to defend the film in the wake of recent controversies surrounding the original book. Based on the best-selling 2018 memoir by Raynor Winn, the Harry Potter star is also joined by the X-Files and Sєx Education star Gillian Anderson.

The Salt Path recounts the story of Winn and her husband, Moth, and their long-distance walk along the southwest English coastline after the couple lost their home and Moth was diagnosed with a fatal neurodegenerative condition. However, the authenticity of the background events in the book was recently called into question via an article in the British newspaper The Observer.

A spokesperson for Number 9 Films and Shadowplay Features released a statement to Entertainment Weekly, indicating that the ongoing issues surrounding the book are not their responsibility. Instead, the producers stated that there were no issues when the book was first acquired and that all necessary due diligence had been made. Check out their comments below:

There were no known claims against the book at the time of optioning it or producing and distributing the film.

Producers would also go on to state that any queries relating to the allegations made in The Observer’s article should be directed to the original author.

The allegations made in The Observer relate to the book and are a matter for the author Raynor Winn. We have pᴀssed any correspondence relating to the article to Raynor and her agent.

The Salt Path Controversy Explained

Claims Question the Validity Of Key Background Events

Following the recent UK release of The Salt Path movie on May 30, 2025, The Observer first published an article on July 5 with the headline “The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were spun from lies, deceit and desperation”. It was the contention of this article that called two of the background events in The Salt Path book into question, namely the circumstances surrounding the loss of Winn’s house and the validity of Moth’s diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration.

According to claims made by Ros Hemmings, the wife of Raynor’s former employer, in the original article, Raynor Winn had omitted certain events that led to their homelessness. According to Hemmings, the author had originally gone by the name of Sally Walker and claimed that she was originally arrested after having stolen money from her husband’s business.

The article also raised questions about Moth’s diagnosis, which reportedly has an average life expectancy of six to eight years, while Moth claims to have been living with the condition for 18 years. Following the release of the article, Winn issued an online statement categorizing the original report as “highly misleading” and indicated that she was currently seeking legal advice.

What These Allegations Mean For The Salt Path Movie

This Is Not The First True-Life Movie To Be Embroiled In Controversy

At this stage, The Salt Path movie has only been released in the United Kingdom, following its original 2024 debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. While a distribution deal is still reportedly pending for the movie’s US release, it will be interesting to see whether the unfolding controversies could potentially dampen those plans.

This is far from the first film adaptation of a memoir to find itself wrapped up in controversies, and The Salt Path now seems destined to join a long list of biographical films that have faced similar accusations of misrepresenting the events upon which they are based.

Despite the producers’ best efforts to distance their film from the original author, these issues surrounding The Salt Path will likely continue to impact its reception by general audiences moving forward.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, The Observer