Dua Lipa has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung, accusing the electronics company of using her likeness to sell TVs without her permission or compensating her.
In a complaint filed on Friday in the Central District of California, the multi-Grammy winner is accusing the electronics company of “copyright infringement, trademark infringement and violation of her right of publicity in order to obtain redress for the massive, continuing, unauthorized commercial exploitation of her valuable image and likeness.”
Lipa alleges that Samsung used a photo, which she owns the copyright to, that was taken backstage at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2024 and displayed it on the packaging for various Samsung TVs since 2025.
“Recognizing Ms. Lipa’s notoriety and goodwill, Samsung used a copyrighted image of Ms. Lipa without authority or license and prominently featured it on the front of cardboard boxes containing Samsung manufactured televisions for retail sale,” the suit states.
The “Levitating” singer claims that Samsung has continued to profit off her likeness and refused to comply with her demands to stop using the image, calling the company’s response “dismissive and callous.”
The complaint alleges that the electronics manufacturer has falsely conveyed to consumers that Lipa endorsed the product, even though she has not. As an example, the suit quotes comments posted on X and Instagram that suggest some customers were persuaded to buy the TVs because of the “Don’t Start Now” singer’s photo.
“I wasn’t even planning on buying a tv but I saw the box so I decided to get it,” one comment read, while the complaint states that another fan posted that they would “get that tv just because Dua is on it.”
“Ms. Lipa’s face was prominently used for a mass marketing campaign for a consumer product without her knowledge, without consideration, and as to which she had no say, control, or input whatsoever. Ms. Lipa did not allow and would not have allowed this use,” the suit states.
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Samsung for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
