Tara Reid has filed a $100 million lawsuit against Syfy and The Asylum, the producers of the ‘Sharknado’ movies for using her image without her consent on a ‘Sharknado’ slot machine. Reportedly, her contract for the sixth film in the franchise contained the following clause:
“In no event shall [Reid’s] likeness be used for any merchandising in association with alcohol, tobacco, gambling, hygiene, or sexual products without [Reid’s] prior written approval.”
Reid’s suit claims “false endorsement and misappropriation of celebrity likeness” involving “manufacturers of slot machines, gambling products, and beer makers, who in turn have marketed their product with her likeness, and continue to wrongfully trade and profit therefrom.”
You can view a video of the ‘Sharknado’ slot machine below:
However, it appears there may be an issue with Reid’s filing, as she cites Asylum Entertainment LLC, which is not the same as The Asylum, the production company that actually made the ‘Sharknado’ movies.
Reid portrayed April Wexler in the films which inexplicably became a sensation after the first premiered on Syfy in 2013. Along with Ian Ziering, who portrays Fin Shepard, Reid has starred in all six movies in the franchise. (Which just for the record, are ‘Sharknado’, ‘Sharknado 2: The Second One’, ‘Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!’, ‘Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens’, ‘Sharknado 5: Global Swarming’, and ‘The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time’.) The most recent was released in August of this year.
Reid previously had a fairly strong attachment to the ‘Sharknado’ brand, having said:
“It’s like it just doesn’t stop. People love ‘Sharknado’. Everyone used to come up to me and say ‘American Pie’, or even ‘The Big Lebowski’ or whatever, but people now are like, ‘Sharknado!'”
Reid will next be seen co-starring with ex-’21 Jump Street’ star Richard Grieco in ‘Art of the Dead’, followed by ‘Cranial Sacral’ with Lou Ferrigno.
Source: The Wrap
