Featured Image Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images / Rockstar Games
Topics: News, US News, Grand Theft Auto, Gaming, Celebrity
Kit Roberts
Topics: News, US News, Grand Theft Auto, Gaming, Celebrity
Lindsay Lohan once tried to sue Rockstar Games, claiming that they had used her likeness in Grand Theft Auto without her consent.
Even those who have never played the game may be familiar with the illustrated figure of the bikini-clad blonde woman giving a peace sign.
The character is none other than Lacey Jonas, a movie star in the game, and her image was widely used in the promotional material for the game.
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When you first meet Lacey Jones in Grand Theft Auto V , the actress is down an alleyway hiding from the paparazzi. She asks the player for a ride home, claiming that she's 'really famous' and the 'voice of a generation', adding that she has starred in a few romcoms and cheerleader movies.
Of course, the player later finds out that she's not quite the a-lister she claims to be. In reality, the actress is something of a has-been who has now become a target for tabloids.
Well, Lohan's legal team had claimed that the game had used her likeness and voice in the character, even claiming that she wore similar clothes and they took her 'signature peace sign' pose.
Yup, the universally used peace sign.
They also claimed that designers had used a photo of Lohan from 2007 when designing the character.
One judge, Eugene Fahey, wrote in his ruling: "[The] artistic renderings are indistinct, satirical representations of the style, look and persona of a modern, beach-going young woman... that is not recognisable as plaintiff."
In other words, that's legalese for 'you're so basic this couldn't be pinned down to you specifically'. Ouch.
A panel of five judges ultimately rejected Lohan's application, arguing that the illustration was clearly not intended to be her specifically.
It transpires that the Mean Girls star isn't actually the only person to go after Rockstar Games for over a character looking a bit too much like them.
In 2014, reality TV star Karen Graven also brought a case against Rockstar Games, suing them for $40 million. The reality star claimed that the character Antonia Bottino was actually based on her story and her likeness.
Her claim was also rejected.
From 2022, Grand Theft Auto V has sold more than 170 million copies. It is currently the best selling console and PC game of all time. It was also the fastest game to reach $1 billion in sales.