Because of the nature of being a celebrity, famous people are often involved in defamation lawsuits against tabloids and other parties. These are four of the most famous defamation lawsuits.
1. Geoffrey Rush vs. Nationwide News
The Oscar-winning Australian actor Geoffrey Rush was awarded 2.9 million Australian dollars when he won his defamation case against Rupert Murdoch’s tabloid Nationwide News. The case centered around two articles published in 2017 that alleged inappropriate conduct by Rush towards Eryn Jean Norvill, a co-star in a Sydney Theater Company production of “King Lear” that ran from 2015 to 2016. The articles included a photo of Rush captioned “King Leer.”
2. Sean Penn vs. Lee Daniels
Actor Sean Penn filed a defamation lawsuit against “Empire” creator Lee Daniels in 2015. The lawsuit resulted from comments Daniels made to “The Hollywood Reporter,” defending “Empire” star Terrence Howard against accusations of domestic abuse. Daniels was quoted as saying that Howard hadn’t done anything different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn. Penn took offense to being compared to Howard, who had admitted to physically abusing women. Penn pointed out that he had never been arrested for domestic violence. His suit included a statement from his ex-wife Madonna in which she retracted her previous accusations of abuse. Penn withdrew his lawsuit seeking $10 million in damages when Daniels issued an apology for his comments and made a charitable donation to J/P HRO.
3. E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald Trump
Former Elle magazine advice columnist E. Jean Carroll sued Donald Trump in 2019 because of statements he made in conjunction with his denial of her rape accusations against him. The case is still pending after multiple delays caused by legal maneuvering on the behalf of the defendant.
4. Michael Jackson Fans vs. Wade Robson and James Safechuck
The 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland” details accusations of sexual molestation against pop star Michael Jackson by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two men who had been friends of Jackson’s when they were children. A lawsuit by several fan groups has been filed in France alleging defamation on the part of the two men featured in the documentary. Unlike the United States, where as attorney John Branca points out, the death of the pop star has precluded a libel suit, libel laws in France extend beyond death.
Unfortunately for many celebrities, defamation lawsuits are a common cost of being famous. These are just four of many examples.
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