This has been going on for a while
I completely forgot this was a thing, but a New York appeals court just threw out the “Lohan vs. Rockstar” lawsuit for using her likeness in Grand Theft Auto V.
The case claimed that the character looked “too much like Lohan,” and also in so many ways insinuated that Lohan had basically copyrighted the idea of a peace sign. It even specifically mentions it in the suit, stating “the plaintiff has been using the peace sign hand gesture for years before and after its use in the video game.” The audacity! Don’t tell Ringo Starr that.
Yet, an appellate panel did not agree last Thursday, and noted that since the case doesn’t apply to advertising or trade statutes, it’s a work of fiction and falls under satire. They go a step further and say that the character isn’t even Lindsey Lohan, just a random character. A similar case by Karen Gravano was thrown out too, claiming that the in-game persona of Antonia Bottino was based on her likeness.
Lohan’s camp intends to appeal, so expect to hear more about this in the future.
Court Tosses Lindsay Lohan’s Lawsuit Against ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ Makers [Wall Street Journal]
