Scarlett Johansson News: Actress Sues French Author Jean-Claude Lattes For Using Her Name in Novel
Scarlett Johansson is suing French book publisher Jean-Claude Lattes over a book that features her doppelganger, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The 28-year-old actress filed a lawsuit against Lattes, which claimed he exploited her likeness in The First Thing We Look At (La première chose qu'on regarde), a French novel about a woman shows up at the door of a garage-owner in the northern French village of Somme seeking help. The woman, who believes she is Johansson, falls in love with the man.
Sixty pages later in the book, it is revealed that the woman is not really Johansson but a lookalike whose name is Jeanine Foucaprez.
Grégoire Delacourt, the author of the book, admitted Friday in an interview with Le Figaro that he was shocked by Johansson's reaction and denied the book was opportunistic.
The author pointed out that he compared the main male character in the book to actor Ryan Gosling and the character's boss to actor Gene Hackman as a way for readers to quickly recognize his vision of the characters.
He explained that he chose Johansson because he considered her the "epitome of beauty today."
"This corresponds with the fantasies of our times. All these famous people live with us," he said.
"But I wrote a book of fiction. My character is not Scarlett Johansson, it is Jeanine Foucaprez!" Delacourt added.
When asked to send a message to Johannson, Delacourt said, "I love you."
The First Thing We Look At has been a best-seller in France since its release on March 20.
Members of the press have expressed concern that the lawsuit could test the boundaries of creative expression.
ohansson is seeking compensation and damages from the "breach and fraudulent use of personal rights," as well as a ban in "future transfer of rights and adaptations of the book."
