Disney Moves to Dismiss Q’orianka Kilcher’s ‘Avatar’ Lawsuit
Earlier this year, we brought you the news that actress Q’Orianka Kilcher had filed a federal lawsuit in California accusing James Cameron and The Walt Disney Company of misusing her likeness to create the Neytiri character in the Avatar films.
Photo: Vulture
“What Cameron did was not inspiration, it was extraction,” Kilcher’s attorney, Arnold Peter of Peter Law Group, said in a statement via Reuters. “He took the unique biometric facial features of a 14-year-old Indigenous girl, ran them through an industrial production process, and generated billions of dollars in profit without ever once asking her permission.”
The lawsuit further argues that Cameron previously acknowledged using an image of Kilcher to help create Neytiri’s design.
Photo: IMDB
“The result was a hugely lucrative film franchise that presented itself as sympathetic to Indigenous struggles, all while silently exploiting a real Indigenous youth behind the scenes,” the lawsuit states.
Disney and Cameron Have Asked For a Dismissal
Nearly three months after Kilcher filed her lawsuit, Disney and Cameron have asked a California court to dismiss the case.
According to Reuters, Disney and Cameron argue that Kilcher cannot sustain her case because Neytiri was based on actress Zoe Saldaña, who portrayed the character in the Avatar films.
Photo: The Hollywood Reporter
Kilcher’s likeness, they continue, is not recognizable in Neytiri.
Additionally, the defendants claim that Kilcher waited too long to file her complaint.
Photo: IMDB
The 16 years between her alleged grievance and the filing of her lawsuit, they argue, was “unreasonable.”
What’s Next
It will now be up to the court to decide whether the lawsuit can proceed.
As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the news surrounding The Walt Disney Company.
Photo: MickeyBlog
