Julia Roberts, George Clooney Team Up to Sue
Actors Julia Roberts and George Clooney have united behind a lawsuit against two audiovisual companies that have allegedly used their names.
The A-listers combined to sue Beyond Audio, Inc. and Digital Projection, Inc. under the belief that the companies used the stars' names and images to promote their high-end projections and entertainment systems. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Supreme Court in Santa Monica on Friday.
Roberts and Clooney have listed four causes of action against the company in the complaint including violations of privacy and publicity rights, negligent misuse, and trademark infringement.
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The complaint also includes claims that Digital Projection and Beyond Audio "prominently used large photographs of plaintiffs in defendant's advertising, marketing and promotions including print advertisements published in numerous magazines over the past several months; defendants' respective web sites … defendants' printed brochures, newsletters, and 'e-mail blasts' distributed to their customers and prospective customers; and within defendants' large video displays at major international trade shows."
Digital Projection is based out of Georgia while Beyond Audio is based British Columbia, Canada. Neither company has commented on the impending lawsuit against them, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In the past, both Roberts and Clooney have been hesitant to appear in advertisements. Clooney has served as a frontman for Omega watches as well as foreign ads such as Nespresso and the Norwegian bank DNB. On the other hand, Roberts has appeared in ads for Lancome and L'Oreal.
Clooney and Roberts, who filed the suit under her married name Julia Moder, are demanding unspecified general, special and punitive damages, plus an injunction preventing the companies from using their images in the future, in addition to attorney fees and interest.
The lawsuit is not the first time the plaintiffs have worked together; both Clooney and Roberts appeared in "Ocean's Eleven." While the actors have sued together, they are represented by separate attorneys.
The case is being handled by Charles Harder of Wolf Rifkin Shapiro & Rabkin in Los Angeles, according to the New York Post.
Meanwhile, Roberts' new film "Mirror, Mirror" hit theaters last week.
