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Sacha Baron Cohen takes legal action against an American cannabis dispensary after using his character Borat on a billboard in Massachusetts.
The billboard features the fictional Kazakh journalist promoting cannabis sold by Solar Therapeutics with both thumbs up next to the words “That’s good!” – globally recognized as the character’s slogan.
According to court documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, the British actor is seeking damages of at least $ 9 million (£ 6.5 million) for alleged copyright infringement and false advertising.
“By using the notice board, the defendants falsely conveyed to the public that Mr. Baron Cohen has approved their products and is affiliated with their company,” Baron Cohen’s lawyer wrote in the complaint.
Cannabis is legal in Massachusetts for recreational and medicinal purposes, but the drug is still illegal federally. Solar Therapeutics said the display board was removed after the company received a cease and desist order from Baron Cohen’s representatives. However, he refused to compensate Baron Cohen for the unauthorized use of his image and intellectual property.
Baron Cohen’s lawyer said the actor had never used cannabis and did not believe recreational drugs were a “healthy choice,” and alleged that the company “made a bet” using the image of the actor and the satirist, thinking he would never see him.
He said the star had never advertised a product in the UK or US for fear it would “weaken his credibility as an actor and as a serious social activist.”
Court documents state that Baron is “highly protective of his image and personality” and underline the “very important commercial value” of Borat’s character and his likeness. According to Baron Cohen’s representatives, he had previously turned down $ 4million (£ 2.9million) to appear in a car commercial as a character.
The character of Borat rose to prominence around the world in 2006 after the release of the controversial mock-documentary Borat! America’s cultural learnings for the benefit of the glorious nation of Kazakhstan. The film grossed $ 262 million, on a budget of $ 18 million.
The character returned to the screen last year in Borat After Moviefilm, for which Baron Cohen won the Best Actor award at this year’s Golden Globes.
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