Former NWA manager Jerry Heller said he will sue Ice Cube and Dr Dre, among other producers, and director F Gary Gray for allegedly defaming him by his portrayal in “Straight Outta Compton”.
It is an American biographical drama crime film about the rise and fall of the Compton, California hip hop group NWA.
The $110 million lawsuit also names Eazy-E’s estate, NBCUniversal, Legendary Pictures, Comptown Records and the biopic’s screenwriters as defendants.
Heller is suing for $35 million in monetary damages, $75 million in exemplary damages and restitution of profits from the summer blockbuster, which is said to have hauled $199.6 million worldwide.
The civil suit, filed on Friday in Los Angeles, also claims trade libel, false light, breach of oral contract and intentional interference with a prospective economic advantage.
Heller’s lawyer, Michael R Shapiro, said actor Paul Giamatti’s depiction of the NWA music manager is damaging to his reputation.
“Untrue statements in the movie made Heller look like a dishonest, sleazy guy; that he was in effect responsible for the group breaking up,” Shapiro said.
In the suit, Heller takes issue with his portrayal as a “greedy, selfish personal manager that took advantage of the members of NWA.”
Shapiro also said the film used Heller’s name and likeness, as well as material from his 2006 book, without his consent.
An NBCUniversal spokesperson and Cube’s reps refused to comment on the lawsuit. Dre’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.