Woman Who Inspired 'Hustlers' Files $40 Million Lawsuit

Source: WENN/Avalon / WENN

Jennifer Lopez’s Production Company Sued Over Hustlers

A woman by the name of Samatha Barbash was the inspiration for Jennifer Lopez’s character in Hustlers–and now, she’s suing J. Lo’s production company for a whopping $40 million.

According to reports from TMZ, Lopez is not named in the lawsuit, but Barbash claims her production company, Nuyorican Productions, used her likeness and story without getting her consent.

While she says that producers initially approached her about signing off on the movie, they ended up going ahead with production without ever getting her consent. Back in September is when Barbash first voiced her concerns telling TMZ that she wasn’t impressed by the deal she was offered by producers, so she decided not to work with the studio.

“They pretty much basically stole my story,” explained Barbash. “I wouldn’t sign my rights away… I wasn’t giving up my TV and film rights for peanuts. J. Lo doesn’t work for free. Why would I? I’m a businesswoman.”

The lawsuit goes on to accuse the studio of portraying her in a negative light, suggesting she was “using and manufacturing illegal substances in her home where she lived with her child.” Because of this, Barbash is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages from the production company.

Not only that, she wants the producers to turn over all copies of the movie to her.