Over the past three decades, there have been numerous lawsuits filed against film producers for various reasons. Filmmakers and studios have been involved in legal battles with other artists and working professionals on a variety of issues, including copyright infringement, patent infringement, blatant plagiarism, and character defamation in the case of films based on true stories. While many of these producers lost their cases and were required to pay a variety of costs, some of them won their cases.
Jennifer Lopez’s stripper movie Hustlers grossed more than $157 million worldwide. It was critically acclaimed as well. But the movie was accused of plagiarism. Samantha Barbash, the real-life inspiration behind the lead character of the movie demanded $20 million in compensatory damages as well as $20 million in punitive damages, alleging that her reputation and likeness had been exploited.
The Woman Who Inspired Jennifer Lopez’s Character in Hustlers Sued the Film’s Makers
The film Hustlers, which is based on a true story, garnered largely excellent reviews for Jennifer Lopez’s portrayal of a stripper in it. For her performance, Lopez was nominated for a Golden Globe.
Samantha Barbash accused J-Lo and her production company Nuyorican Productions of defaming her and later asserted that she was underpaid for her participation.
In the lawsuit, Barbash alleged the movie defames her by portraying Lopez’s character as “using and manufacturing illegal substances in her home where she lived with her child.”
The suit reads:
“Defendants did not take caution to protect the rights of Ms Barbash by creating a fictionalised character, or by creating a composite of characters to render J-Lo’s character a new fictitious one; rather they engaged in a systematic effort to make it well-known that J-Lo was playing Ms Barbash.”
Barbash’s lawyer Bruno V Gioffre Jr told Rolling Stone:
“My client is offended that the defendants used her likeness to make over $150m, defamed her character, and tried to trick her into selling her rights to the production company for a mere $6,000.“
In an interview with TMZ, Barbash told:
They basically stole my story. I wouldn’t sign my rights away. I wasn’t giving away my film and TV rights for peanuts. J-Lo doesn’t work for free, why would I?
The movie, which is based on a New York magazine article, relates the tale of a group of strippers who devised a system to steal money from their clients.
Jennifer Lopez Didn’t Get Paid for Hustlers
Jennifer Lopez played a key role in the success of the movie Hustlers, which earned $157 million at global box offices. What was shocking to many was that Lopez wasn’t paid for her critically acclaimed film.
“I didn’t get paid a whole bunch of money for Hustlers,” she told GQ. “I did it for free and produced it. Like Jenny from the Block — I do what I love.”
“I’ve always been motivated by wanting to be a great singer, a great actor, a great dancer, I want to make movies, I want to make music. And the money came along with that…”
In Hustlers, Lopez played the iconic role of Ramona, the real-life ruler of a New York City strip club. She worked alongside a crew of powerful women to make the all-female crime movie, including co-stars Constance Wu, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B.
Source: Bro Bible
