Diddy Sued for Unauthorized Footage of Billboard

Billboard model Angelyne has hit Diddy's Bad Boy Films with a copyright infringement lawsuit after one of her billboards appeared in 2009's 'Notorious,' without her consent.

The lawsuit, which was filed in a Los Angeles U.S. District Court on Jan. 4, claims that Fox Searchlight Pictures, Bad Boy Films and State Street Pictures are responsible for featuring a 12-second clip of one of Angelyne's billboards in the Biggie Smalls biopic. According to court documents from Angelyne's camp, the film companies were not authorized to broadcast the billboard. "At no time has Angelyne authorized any of the defendants to reproduce, adapt or distribute any image containing her copyrighted billboard for use in the `Notorious' motion picture," the complaint states.
Documents attest that the use of the billboard has resulted in "loss of reputation and standing in the community," justifying a request for an estimated $100,000 in damages. Angelyne is an eccentric American model who gained some fame in the 1980s through her billboards and sporadic television guest appearances. Her billboards -- one of which appears prominently on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles -- have been featured in several television shows, including a short parody on the animated show 'Futurama.'