Colin Farrell has taken legal action in a bid to prevent the sale and distribution of a tape showing him having sexual intercourse with ex-girlfriend Nicole Narain.

The actor claims that he had an agreement with Playboy star Narain which stated that the two-and-a-half-year-old tape would remain "strictly private and confidential between them."

Official documents, however, suggest that the Narain's representative, David Hans Schmidt, had the authority to 'commercially exploit the tape'.

According to Ananova, Schmidt also offered to meet with Farrell to discuss the possible "commercialisation of the videotape for profit."

Farrell stands by his claim that nobody had the right to distribute the tape without his consent and has asked for a court order be imposed to prevent its distribution.