Tara Reid to sue 'Sharknado' producers for R1.4b

Tara Reid. Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

Tara Reid. Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

Published Dec 10, 2018

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Actress Tara Reid is taking the 'Sharknado' producers to court.

Reid has accused the producers of the films of misappropriating her likeness and image "for a commercial purpose without her consent," including slot machines and alcoholic beverages, according to court documents filed on December 6 and obtained by The Blast, reports people.com.

She is now suing Asylum Entertainment and SYFY Media Productions for $100 million (about R1.4 billion) in damages.

A representative for Reid did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The documents state that "(Reid) alleges that defendants and each of them without her knowledge and prior written consent misappropriated her likeness for the commercial purpose of endorsing by implication gambling products and alcoholic beverages."

The suit claims that the defendants "wrongfully licensed the rights to use Tara Reid's likeness (which they do not own) to manufacturers of slot machines, gambling products, and beer makers, who in turn have marketed their products with her likeness, and continue to wrongfully trade and profit therefrom."

As a result, Reid, who stars as April Wexler in the films, alleges that the defendants made "millions of dollars in profits - from the marketing, sale, lease, and distribution of "Sharknado" slot machines bearing the likeness of Plaintiff Tara Reid," the documents state.

As to why she's suing for $100 million, the documents explain: "As such, the actions of the Defendants were malicious and oppressive and justify an award of punitive and exemplary damages in an amount sufficiently large to set a public example of deterrence, and in an amount no less than $100,000,000.00."

She is suing for false endorsement and misappropriation of celebrity likeness, as well as common law wrongful appropriation of likeness and breach of written contract. 

She is also requesting "preliminary and permanent injunctive relief" and demanding a jury trial.

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