Grammy-winning pop star Dua Lipa has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, accusing the tech giant of using her likeness without permission or compensation to sell televisions across the United States.
The complaint was filed Friday, May 8, by entertainment law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Lipa is alleging copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and violation of her right of publicity — charges that collectively point to what the suit describes as “the massive, continuing, unauthorized commercial exploitation of her valuable image and likeness.”
At the center of the case is a photograph taken backstage at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2024 — an image whose copyright is registered solely to Lipa. According to the complaint, Samsung began displaying that photo prominently on the front of cardboard packaging for its retail televisions in 2025, where it remained in circulation into 2026. The image was specifically used to promote the Xite Hits channel on Samsung’s Samsung TV Plus streaming platform.
Lipa says she first discovered Samsung’s use of her image in June 2025 and immediately issued a cease-and-desist demand through her legal team. Samsung, according to the filing, refused to comply.
“Samsung has refused to comply with Ms. Lipa’s repeated demands that it cease and desist from infringing on her rights by the continued exploitation of the infringing products,” the complaint states, adding that the company’s response was “dismissive and callous.
“The suit further alleges that Samsung falsely conveyed to consumers that Lipa had endorsed the product — a claim backed by real consumer behavior. The filing cites social media comments from fans who said they purchased Samsung TVs specifically because of her face on the box. “I wasn’t even planning on buying a TV but I saw the box so I decided to get it,” one comment read.
The lawsuit also invokes the federal Lanham Act, California’s right of publicity statute, and additional trademark claims. Lipa is seeking both financial damages and injunctive relief — meaning she wants the court to order Samsung to immediately and permanently stop using the image.
What makes the case particularly significant is Lipa’s standing as one of the entertainment industry’s most selective brand partners. Over the course of her career, the “Levitating” singer has partnered with Puma, YSL Beauty, Bvlgari, Nespresso, Porsche, Apple, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., and co-created a fashion line with Donatella Versace. She also recently fronted a campaign for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Her legal team argues that Lipa’s brand strategy is deliberately premium — and that she “would not have agreed to license her name, image, or likeness in connection with the sale of the infringing products” under any circumstances.
“Samsung’s infringing conduct makes a mockery of Ms. Lipa’s hard work in establishing a successful brand and has deprived her of the ability to control and monetize her assets,” the complaint states.
This is not the first time Samsung has faced legal heat over its television business. In December 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Samsung alongside four other TV manufacturers, alleging the use of ad-targeting spyware embedded in their smart TVs — a separate but telling sign of the company’s mounting legal exposure in the U.S. market.
Samsung has not issued a public statement in response to Lipa’s lawsuit. The case is expected to draw close attention from entertainment lawyers and brand licensing professionals, as it underscores the growing legal risk corporations face when leveraging celebrity images without formal agreements — particularly in an era where social media can instantly document consumer influence.
