News & Analysis as of

Entertainment Industry Name and Likeness

Knobbe Martens

One Name, Two Claims: Prince’s Estate and Apollonia Clash Over Trademark Rights

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Bono, Madonna, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem, Drake, Cher, Sting, Lorde, Flea, Adele, Bjork, Seal, Pink: these celebrities all share the same elite status of fame to be known by a single name. But the standalone celebrity name...more

Weintraub Tobin

(Podcast) The Briefing: Publicity Rights and the Law – Using Real People in Your Work

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Can you use a celebrity’s voice or image in your work? What about AI-generated versions? On this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley explore the right of publicity—how it protects names, likenesses,...more

Weintraub Tobin

The Briefing: Publicity Rights and the Law – Using Real People in Your Work

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Can you use a celebrity’s voice or image in your work? What about AI-generated versions? On this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley explore the right of publicity—how it protects names, likenesses,...more

Loeb & Loeb LLP

Hara v. Netflix, Inc.

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Ninth Circuit affirms dismissal of Lanham Act claims regarding use of drag queen Vicky Vox’s image and likeness in animated Netflix show and teaser trailer, holding, under Rogers test, that use was artistically relevant to...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - August 2025

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Drag queen Vicky Vox failed to revive her lawsuit accusing Netflix and several creators of an animated series of using her likeness without permission....more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Voices on Trial: Voice Actors, AI Cloning, and the Fight for Identity Rights

A New York court just decided some important preliminary motions (which I previously covered here in this post) involving allegedly unauthorized AI cloning of voice actors. The court reached a split decision, concluding...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

IP Terminology: Accuracy Matters

In the linked article about a trademark dispute, the author notes that the plaintiff claimed the defendant used a “copyrighted name.” Just a reminder: one can patent inventions, copyright creative works of expression, and...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

ER and The Pitt-falls of a Frozen Rights Provision

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Michael Crichton, author, director, and visionary created works that resonate today like Jurassic Park, Twister, Westworld, and ER. Now, his estate is suing the production team and leading actor of the newly released medical...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - July 2025 #2

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Jonathan Barnett, once named the “World’s Most Powerful Sports Agent” by Forbes, is accused of forcing an Australian woman to serve as his “sex slave,” while his sports agency within Creative Artists Agency ignored the...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - June 2025 #2

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The New York State Education Department said it won’t rescind a ban on the use of Indigenous mascots and names in public schools despite a threat from the Trump administration to pull its federal funding, telling the U.S....more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Turn the Trademarks Off: The Trademarks of Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Beyonce

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On May 9, 2025, I sat in a crowded football stadium for the sold-out second night of the Grand National Tour concert featuring Kendrick Lamar and SZA (the stage name of Solána Rowe). As I listened to those iconic artists...more

Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

Gone from Copyright: Ninth Circuit Rejects Copyright Protection for Iconic “Eleanor” Shelby Mustang

Court Narrows Scope of Character Copyright, Drawing Sharp Line Between Props and Protectable Expression - Not every film icon gets legal protection. On May 27, 2025, the Ninth Circuit ruled that Eleanor—the legendary Mustang...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

These Are the Lawsuits You’re Looking For: Fortnite’s AI Voice Dispute

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A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, voice acting was the exclusive domain of talented humans. But today, in the age of generative AI, even the iconic voice of a legendary villain can be conjured without a single...more

DLA Piper

2025 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts MOAs Transform in the Digital Age

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On April 11, 2025, The Joint Policy Committee, LLC (JPC), led by DLA Piper Partner and Chief Negotiator Stacy Marcus, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) reached an...more

Weintraub Tobin

(Podcast) The Briefing: Everyone Loves the HBO Series 'White Lotus,' Except Duke University

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Can HBO be sued over a T-shirt? Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler unpack Duke University’s beef with 'White Lotus' after a character wore a Duke tee on screen. Does this cross the legal line—or is it just creative expression?...more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Pitch - March 2025

The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - March 2025 #3

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Former University of Michigan football players are fighting to keep a proposed class action seeking $50 million in compensation for their names, images and likenesses in Michigan federal court and fend off what they called...more

International Lawyers Network

SAG-AFTRA vs. AI: Protecting Performers in the Digital Age

The power and application of AI is growing exponentially. As is often the case with the introduction of revolutionary technologies, legislation at both the federal and state level has been slow to catch up. On a daily basis,...more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Pitch - February 2025

The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Former Last Chance U Athletes Sue School, Netflix Over Alleged NIL Violations

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Six former East Mississippi Community College football players who appeared in the documentary series Last Chance U have sued the school, Netflix, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and the...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - February 2025

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The NCAA and a coalition of states led by Tennessee reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the NCAA, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Jan. 31....more

Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Pitch - January 2025

The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more

Littler

New York’s Digital Replica Law and its Impact on Artificial Intelligence and the Entertainment Industry

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New York Senate Bill 7676B regulates contracts for the creation and use of digital replicas. This law took effect on January 1, 2025. The law defines “digital replica” as “a digital simulation of the voice or likeness of an...more

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Entertainment Exclusive - January 2025

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Drake has sued Universal Music Group NV for defamation in US federal court, accusing the company of putting his life in danger by releasing and promoting “Not Like Us” by his rival and labelmate Kendrick Lamar....more

K&L Gates LLP

A New Year Brings New Restrictions Relating to AI and California Performers

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Starting 1 January 2025, California Assembly Bill 2602 (AB 2602) will prohibit the use of vague, unfair, and unethical contractual terms that, without the performer’s full awareness, permit the unregulated production, use,...more

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