Hollywood studios have paid individuals for their life stories for at least a century, but life story “rights” are not rights at all, say these US law professors.
your inspiring story without consulting you? Or do you “own” that story and control how it gets retold?
Just a year earlier, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was similarly incensed when he learned that Hulu had created a miniseries dramatising his career without seeking his permission.Oher and Tyson - not to mention countless influencers and wannabe celebs - share the conviction that they own, and can monetise, their life stories. And given regular news stories about studios buying “life story rights”, it’s not surprising to see why.
In the US, the freedom to describe historical events is rooted in the free speech clause of the First Amendment, and it’s a fundamental principle that no one - whether it’s a news agency, political party or celebrity - holds a monopoly on the truth. Along with these other rights and permissions, Hollywood studios have paid individuals for their life stories for at least a century.Yet, unlike copyright clearances, life story deals do not involve the acquisition of known intellectual property rights. Life story “rights” are not rights at all.
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