Pop superstar Dua Lipa is pushing back against Samsung’s attempt to throw out her $15 million lawsuit over the alleged unauthorised use of her photograph on television packaging. The singer’s legal team argues that displaying her image on the company’s TV boxes could have led consumers to believe she had endorsed its products, turning what Samsung describes as a showcase of entertainment content into a dispute over celebrity image rights.According to Law Commentary, Lipa’s attorneys filed their response to Samsung’s motion to dismiss on October 16, 2026, in the US District Court for the Central District of California. The filing challenges the company’s arguments on false endorsement and publicity rights, while maintaining that the alleged use of her likeness requires legal scrutiny.The court has not yet ruled on Samsung’s request, and the allegations remain disputed.
How Dua Lipa’s photograph landed on Samsung TV packaging
At the centre of the legal battle is a photograph of Lipa taken backstage at the 2024 Austin City Limits music festival. According to her lawsuit, the image appeared inside a simulated television screen printed on Samsung’s retail boxes, alongside content available through its Samsung TV Plus streaming service.Lipa filed the lawsuit on May 8, 2026, alleging copyright infringement, trademark infringement, false endorsement and violations of her right of publicity. She claims Samsung used the photograph on television packaging for products sold in the United States during 2025 and 2026 without her permission, despite repeated demands to stop.The singer is seeking at least $15 million in damages, in addition to further relief connected to profits she alleges the company earned through the disputed use of her image.For Lipa, the issue is not simply whether her photograph appeared on a television box. Her lawyers argue that placing a recognisable celebrity’s image on a consumer product can create the impression of a commercial partnership, particularly when that celebrity is known for carefully selected brand collaborations.
Samsung denies implying that Dua Lipa endorsed its products
Samsung has challenged the singer’s interpretation of the packaging. The company maintains that the photograph was used to illustrate entertainment content available through its televisions and was not intended to suggest that Lipa personally endorsed its products.Samsung has also said a third-party content provider assured it that the necessary permissions had been obtained, including permission for use on retail packaging. The company denies intentionally misusing the singer’s likeness.In its September 10 motion to dismiss, Samsung argued that a celebrity’s face does not automatically qualify as a trademark. It also maintained that consumers would understand the photograph as an illustration of content available on a television, rather than evidence of an endorsement.Lipa’s legal team has rejected that reasoning. According to the October 16 filing, the singer selectively licenses her name and likeness through commercial partnerships, including deals with major luxury brands. Her attorneys argue that consumers familiar with those arrangements could reasonably interpret her appearance on Samsung’s packaging as another authorised brand association.The disagreement places the question of consumer perception at the centre of the false endorsement claim: whether the packaging was merely showcasing entertainment content or could have conveyed the impression that Lipa had approved or sponsored Samsung’s products.
Why English law is another flashpoint in the lawsuit
Samsung is also challenging the legal basis of Lipa’s publicity-right claims. The company argues that because the singer is domiciled in England, English law should apply rather than California’s statutory protections for the commercial use of a person’s identity.Samsung contends that English law does not recognise the equivalent standalone right of publicity that Lipa seeks to enforce.Her lawyers have disputed both the choice of law and Samsung’s interpretation of the protections available under English law. They argue that California law should govern the alleged commercial exploitation of her image on products marketed and sold in the state.According to Law Commentary, Lipa’s attorneys have also warned that Samsung’s interpretation could leave English celebrities with fewer avenues to challenge the unauthorised commercial use of their identities in California.The issue could prove significant in determining which of the singer’s claims can proceed. However, it is separate from the court’s assessment of her copyright, trademark and false endorsement allegations.US District Judge Christina A. Snyder has not ruled on Samsung’s motion to dismiss. The company is scheduled to submit its reply on November 13, 2026, and a hearing is set for December 14, 2026.
