Dua Lipa sues Samsung for $15 million over unauthorized use of her image
Dua Lipa has filed a lawsuit against Samsung in the federal court for the Central District of California, seeking at least $15 million in damages. The complaint centres on the use of a photograph of the British singer on the cardboard packaging of Samsung television sets, without her consent or any compensation.
According to court filings, the image appeared on Samsung TV boxes throughout 2025 and was still in use at the time the lawsuit was filed, 8 May 2026. The photograph was taken backstage at the Austin City Limits festival in 2024, with the copyright owned by the artist herself. Lipa’s attorneys state that she first became aware of the unauthorised use in June 2025 and immediately issued a cease-and-desist demand, but the company allegedly failed to act for nearly a year. The complaint also references social media posts in which users stated they had purchased Samsung TVs specifically because of Lipa’s image on the box. The suit alleges copyright infringement, a violation of California’s right of publicity statute, and a federal Lanham Act trademark claim.
Samsung responded publicly, stating that the image had been supplied by a third-party content partner for its Samsung TV Plus streaming service, who provided explicit assurance that the necessary rights had been secured. The company said it remains open to a constructive resolution, without specifying any concrete steps.
