Bobby Brown is using his prerogative to sue Showtime Networks and BBC for showing him in their Whitney Houston documentary, Whitney: Can I Be Me?.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two entertainment companies along with the documentary’s producers have been sued by Brown and the estate of his late daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown. The suit, which was filed Wednesday in New York federal court, states Brown’s and his daughter’s images were used in the film without consent. Brown and his family are seeking $2 million.
The suit states that footage used of Brown and Bobbi Kristina lasted up to 30 minutes, and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, “Brown claims that the film amounts to a misappropriation of publicity rights as well as a violation of the Lanham Act.”
“The film contains footage that Brown and BKB has never consented to have released…The footage was actually recorded prior to the divorce in 2007 between Brown and Houston,” according to the filing. “Brown never signed or executed a release for the airing of the material that appears in the film. The footage of Brown is approximately fifteen (15) years old.”
Incidentally, a separate suit is being launched by Brown against the disbanded company B2 Entertainment, which worked with Bravo for the reality TV series Being Bobby Brown. According to Brown, the documentary producers obtained footage from Being Bobby Brown from the company. Brown claims B2 has breached their contract with him, which states that the company agreed “not to use any materials associated with Brown’s family friends or employers without his consent in TV or film projects.”
Brown also alleges that the filmmakers unsuccessfully tried to gain an interview with him for the film and that the producers utilized his image and name to promote the movie.
Brown has been a hot topic this year for his BET limited series The Bobby Brown Story, which starred Woody McClain as Brown throughout his tumultuous personal and professional life.
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