'New Girl' Rip Off? Writers Claim Creator Stole Ideas For Fox Comedy From 'Square One' Script [VIDEO]
New Girl might not be a new as people think.
At least that's what writers Stephanie Counts and Shari Gold have alleged in a suit they filled on Thursday, reports Deadline. According to the two screenwriters, Fox's Tuesday night comedy bares a striking resemblance to their project, Square One.
Following Counts' real-life breakup and time spent sharing an apartment with three males, Counts and Gold created Square One, which they then brought to the attention of different agencies between 2006 and 2011. After their script went through William Morris Endeavor, the writers claim that the agency then gave their work to their other clients, New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether and Fox's Peter Chernin, according to The Wrap.
The suit, which was filed in California's Central District, lists Chernin and Merriwether as defendants alongside New Girl director Jake Kasdan, 21st Century Fox, and William Morris Endeavor.
New Girl premiered in 2011 and is currently in its third season. The series stars Zooey Deschanel (Jess), Jake Johnson (Nick Miller), Hannah Simone (Cece), Max Greenfield (Shmidt), ad Lamorne Morris (Winston Bishop) as series regulars and recently reintroduced Damon Wayans Jr. as (Coach).
New Girl airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox. Click below to see a preview of next week's episode, "Birthday."
