American actress Q'orianka Kilcher has accused director James Cameron of stealing her appearance to create the character Neytiri in the film 'Avatar' and has filed a lawsuit.
Director James Cameron and the Walt Disney Company have found themselves at the center of a legal dispute following a lawsuit by actress Q'orianka Kilcher, who claims that the creators of 'Avatar' used her appearance to create the character Neytiri without permission. According to The Guardian, the actress has filed a lawsuit, accusing the franchise of exploitation.
The lawsuit alleges that Cameron allegedly 'used her facial features' and instructed his design team to create the key heroine of the franchise based on Kilcher's appearance after seeing her in an advertisement for the film 'The New World' in the Los Angeles Times.
A statement accompanying the lawsuit states that 'one of Hollywood's most influential directors used the biometric identity and cultural heritage of a young Indigenous woman to create a record-breaking film franchise – without attribution or any compensation.'
The plaintiffs also criticize the 'Avatar' franchise itself, claiming that the films were positioned as supportive of Indigenous peoples' struggles while simultaneously 'secretly exploiting a real Indigenous girl.'
The scandal surrounding one of the most successful film franchises could have serious repercussions, writes bb.lv. If the allegations are confirmed, the case will touch on not only copyright issues but also ethics in the film industry. For now, the outcome of the dispute remains uncertain, and the positions of the parties have not been disclosed.
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