14 DAY TRIAL // Author Gregoire Delacourt has been on the best-selling list with “The First Thing We Look At” since it came out in March, so you can imagine his surprise when he learned Scarlett Johansson is taking him to court just now for using her name in the book.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Delacourt after word of the lawsuit got out, and he insists that he didn’t even try to profit off her fame the way she claims he did.
According to court documents, Johansson is saying her name was used without permission, so she’s “seeking compensation and damages from the ‘breach and fraudulent use of personal rights,’ as well as a ban on ‘future transfer of rights and adaptations of the book’,” THR says.
In the book, a woman shows up at a garage asking for help. The mechanic thinks she’s Scarlett Johnasson, but her true identity is revealed some pages later: she is Jeanine Foucaprez, is not famous but bears some resemblance to the actress.
Delacourt says that the novel also references Ryan Gosling and Gene Hackman, but doesn’t believe that either has reason to sue him.
“This corresponds with the fantasies of our times. All these famous people live with us,” he says, as cited by the movie-oriented publication.
“But I wrote a book of fiction. My character is not Scarlett Johansson, it is Jeanine Foucaprez!” he adds.
Because this is a work of fiction, all these 3 worldwide famous actors are actually symbols. Scarlett, for instance, stands for modern beauty.
“He describes the novel as an exploration of the ‘dictatorship of appearances and the true beauty of women,’ and says he chose Johansson, currently the face of Dolce & Gabbana and previously Louis Vuitton, because she is considered the ‘epitome of beauty today’,” THR writes.
Clearly, Scarlett is not flattered.