by Actor Alfonso Ribeiro is suing to stop two video game developers from selling a dance popularized by his "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" character. In two lawsuits filed Monday, Ribeiro said the companies have "unfairly profited" from using his likeness and from exploiting his "protected creative expression." The suits name Fortnite developer Epic Games Inc., and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., creator of the NBA 2K series, and several of its subsidiaries.
Epic Games declined to comment on the lawsuit. Take-Two subsidiary 2K Games did not respond to a request for comment. The lawsuits ask a California federal court to bar the game developers from using, selling or displaying the dance. The suits state that Ribeiro is in the process of copyrighting the dance. Ribeiro, best known as Carlton Banks from the 1990s "Fresh Prince" sitcom, says in the court filings that he is "inextricably linked" to the dance -- a joyous, arm-swinging boogie often performed to Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual."
The lawsuits say Ribeiro first performed the dance during the show's 1991 Christmas episode. "Twenty-seven years later, The Dance remains distinctive, immediately recognizable, and inextricably linked to Ribeiro's identity, celebrity, and likeness," the lawsuits say. https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/18/entertainment/carlton-sues-fortnite-video-game/index.html
Ha, good luck. I doubt this actor will get any ammount of money from Epic games. If he does, I'd be very surprised.
Epic Games declined to comment on the lawsuit. Take-Two subsidiary 2K Games did not respond to a request for comment. The lawsuits ask a California federal court to bar the game developers from using, selling or displaying the dance. The suits state that Ribeiro is in the process of copyrighting the dance. Ribeiro, best known as Carlton Banks from the 1990s "Fresh Prince" sitcom, says in the court filings that he is "inextricably linked" to the dance -- a joyous, arm-swinging boogie often performed to Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual."
The lawsuits say Ribeiro first performed the dance during the show's 1991 Christmas episode. "Twenty-seven years later, The Dance remains distinctive, immediately recognizable, and inextricably linked to Ribeiro's identity, celebrity, and likeness," the lawsuits say. https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/18/entertainment/carlton-sues-fortnite-video-game/index.html
Ha, good luck. I doubt this actor will get any ammount of money from Epic games. If he does, I'd be very surprised.
