The woman who was behind the story used in the “Hustlers” film has filed a defamation lawsuit against Jennifer Lopez’s production company.
Samantha Barbash claimed in the lawsuit that Lopez’s company, Nuyorican Productions, used her name and likeness without her permission and ultimately defamed her, according to a report published Tuesday by TMZ.
The lawsuit comes after Barbash claimed the production studio didn’t offer her enough money for her story back in September. She was reportedly offered $6,000 for the rights to her story, according to court documents. “Hustlers” made roughly $150 million worldwide.
“They pretty much basically stole my story,” Barbash told TMZ at the time. “I wouldn’t sign my rights away… I wasn’t giving up my TV and film rights for peanuts. J. Lo doesn’t work for free. Why would I? I’m a businesswoman.” (RELATED: Jennifer Lopez Is Being Sued For $6.5 Million Over ‘World Of Dance’ Idea)
The lawsuit claimed that Barbash’s character in the film was portrayed in a way that defamed her.
“Anyone who views the film will believe Plaintiff to be an individual of little to no moral or ethical values, devoid of any loyalty to her colleagues, under the influence of hard drugs, and with misandrist tendencies,” the lawsuit read.
It has been speculated that Lopez is set to earn an Oscars nomination for her work on the film, which came after a 2015 profile of the story in New York Magazine.