A viral celebrity called “The Florida Joker” alleges that Rockstar copied his likeness for their GTA 6 trailer and now he wants to be paid for it. Read on to learn more about the situation and other similar allegations thrown at Rockstar.
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GTA 6 Trailer Showcases Florida Highlights, Including Florida Joker
After years of hoaxes and anticipation, Rockstar finally unveiled their trailer for GTA 6 almost a week ago following a supposed leak. The trailer featured many parodies of viral social media hits in Florida, which is where the upcoming game is set. These include alligators casually walking into convenience stores, police chasing down a naked man, and most notably, a Spanish news report featuring a man with purple hair and distinct facial tattoos.
That last one drew a little more attention than the rest after a Florida local alleged that his likeness was used for this scene in the game’s trailer and that Rockstar needed to pay.
Florida Joker Demands $1-2 Million from Rockstar
Lawrence Sullivan - more widely known as the "Florida Joker" - recently took to social media to point out the similarities between himself and a certain character from the GTA 6 trailer. Sullivan first gained viral fame when his mugshot - which featured his dyed hair and iconic face tattoos - was released, earning him the "Florida Joker" moniker; a title that he took to heart.
"That’s me. That’s the person they got the inspiration from. That’s me. That’s me," Sullivan repeated in a recently posted video. "GTA, we gotta talk. Or no, you gotta give me like a mill or two," he continues, "Y’all took my likeness. Y’all took my life."
Moving Forward with Sullivan’s Allegations
It is currently uncertain whether Sullivan will pursue legal action against Rockstar or not. The extent of his allegations hasn’t reached anything past social media reactions from other celebrities, at least at the time of writing. Rockstar also hasn’t released an official response or statement regarding the situation, so only time will tell what will become of the Florida Joker’s demands.
Other Similar Cases Thrown at Rockstar
This isn’t the first time Rockstar was put in the hot seat for allegedly using someone’s likeness in their games without permission. GTA V saw Lindsay Lohan’s attempted lawsuit against Rockstar for allegedly using her likeness for one of the game’s loading screens, specifically the one with a blonde caucasian woman wearing a red bikini.
Lohan failed to push forward with the case after six judges unanimously agreed that the loading screen did not use her likeness, rather, it featured a "generic blonde woman". Fans were also quick to point out that the woman looked nothing like Lohan and more closely resembled actress/model Kate Upton.
Similarly, "Mob Wives" star Karen Gravano alleged that her likeness was poached and used as an asset for GTA V, as was evidenced by her similarity to Andrea Bottino, one of the game’s characters. Allegedly, the similarity didn’t end with her likeness either, as the character’s life and spoken mannerisms mirrored her own.
The case was eventually dismissed as Gravano's name was never directly referenced in the game. This underscores a frequently overlooked disclaimer in most works of fiction, attributing any similarities to individuals, whether alive or deceased, to coincidence.
Source:
Ex-'Mob Wife' Karen Gravano's lawsuit against 'Grand Theft Auto V' designer headed to state's top court
Lindsay Lohan loses GTA V privacy case appeal
