Dua Lipa Sues Samsung for $15 Million Over Unauthorized Use of Her Image on TV Boxes

On Friday, Dua Lipa filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics in federal court in California. The complaint alleges that Samsung used Lipa’s image on the cardboard packaging of its TVs beginning last year — without her knowledge, without her permission, and without paying her. When she found out, she asked them to stop. They said no. So she got a lawyer.

The photograph at the center of the suit is titled “Dua Lipa — Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024,” and Lipa owns all rights to the image. According to the complaint, as reported by Rolling Stone, the photo was used to promote the Xite Hits channel on Samsung TV Plus — a free streaming service bundled with Samsung sets — and ended up printed on the front of physical TV boxes sold across the United States. Lipa became aware of it in June 2025 and immediately demanded Samsung cease and desist. Samsung refused. Repeatedly.

Dua Lipa vs. Samsung

The lawsuit accuses Samsung of copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and violation of Lipa’s right of publicity. The filing notes that while Lipa has commercial relationships with brands like Porsche, Apple, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., Puma, Yves Saint Laurent, and Versace, she never agreed to any promotional deal with Samsung. The implied endorsement angle is the real knife in the filing — and it is not a subtle one.

The complaint quotes comments from X suggesting that at least some customers bought Samsung TVs specifically because of Lipa’s face on the box. “I wasn’t even planning on buying a tv but I saw the box so I decided to get it,” wrote one commenter. Another noted that “if you need anything selling just put a picture of Dua Lipa on it.” Her lawyers attached the screenshots. They came prepared.

It is worth noting that celebrity IP litigation is having a moment. Taylor Swift‘s legal team is currently contesting its own trademark dispute over “Showgirl” branding, a reminder that for major artists, protecting commercial identity has become as standard as touring. Lipa’s case follows the same logic, just with a $15 million price tag and a cardboard TV box as the evidence exhibit.

Samsung pushed back with a statement, as reported by CNN: “Ms. Lipa’s image was used in 2025 to reflect the content of our third-party partners that are available on Samsung TVs and was originally provided by a content partner for our free streaming service Samsung TV Plus. The image was used only after receiving explicit assurance from the content partner that permission had been secured, including for the retail boxes. Given this assurance, we deny any allegations of intentional misuse.” The company added that it remains “open to a constructive resolution.” A very polished way of saying they’d rather not see the inside of a courtroom.

For UK fans, the $15 million figure translates to roughly £11 million in damages — and given that Lipa is British-born and has built her career on selective, premium brand partnerships, the case is drawing significant attention on both sides of the Atlantic. The suit has broader implications for how tech companies license — or fail to license — artist likenesses through third-party content pipelines, a pipeline problem that the entertainment industry is navigating across the board as streaming expands. It will not be the last case of this kind.

The complaint seeks damages of “no less than $15 million” for copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and misappropriation of Lipa’s likeness. According to NBC News, the case was filed in the United States District Court, Central District of California. No trial date has been set.

We’ll keep you posted on updates about Dua Lipa v. Samsung as the case develops.