Fresh Prince star sues Fortnite over the 'Carlton dance'
Actor Alfonso Ribeiro found it unusual to see his signature dance move show up in two video games, so he's taking the developers to court.
Ribeiro is suing the creators of Fortnite and the NBA 2K games for using the famous "Carlton dance" he popularized on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air without his permission, reports CNN. Players of both games can purchase downloadable content to have their character perform the dance that was Ribeiro's signature on the 1990s sitcom.
Ribeiro says that Epic Games and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. have "unfairly profited" from his likeness and that the dance is "inextricably linked" with him. He's seeking to have it removed from the games and to receive a "fair and reasonable share of profits," per Variety. He is also hoping to get the dance copyrighted. Although the move isn't named the "Carlton dance" in the games, it's listed in Fortnite as "Fresh" and in the NBA games as "So Fresh."
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The Fresh Prince star isn't alone, as CBS News reports the creators of Fortnite are also being sued by Russell Horning, an Instagram star known as "Backpack Kid," and rapper 2 Milly, both of whom say dance moves they created were added to the game without their permission.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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