Dua Lipa vs Samsung Is Getting Messy, And It’s Very Much a Celebrity-Image-Rights Story

Dua Lipa is taking Samsung to court, and no, this is not one of those fluffy celeb-vs-brand stories where everyone drops a statement and quietly moves on. She’s filed a lawsuit in California federal court seeking at least US$15 million, accusing Samsung of using her image on television packaging without permission in a way that made it look like she endorsed the product.

The photo at the centre of the case is reportedly titled “Dua Lipa — Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024.” According to the lawsuit, her team says Samsung used it on boxes for TVs sold at retail, which is kind of a massive problem when you are one of the biggest pop stars in the world and your face is, very obviously, part of your business. The filing also says she became aware of the alleged use in June 2025 and demanded Samsung stop, but claims the image kept being used anyway.

And this is where it stops being random celebrity drama and starts becoming a proper image-rights story. Dua’s case includes claims for copyright infringement, trademark infringement and violation of publicity rights, which is the legal way of saying: you cannot just slap someone’s face on packaging and let shoppers assume they are attached to the brand. One screenshot referenced in reporting allegedly shows a fan saying they would buy the TV “just because Dua is on it,” which is, unfortunately for Samsung, a pretty clean example of the endorsement issue her team is arguing.

Samsung’s response is basically: we did not do this intentionally. The company has said the image came from a third-party content partner tied to Samsung TV Plus content, and that it believed the necessary permissions had already been cleared. It has also said it wants to resolve the dispute constructively. Which is legal-speak for “this is awkward and we would prefer not to keep discussing it in public.”

The reason this one is getting so much attention is pretty obvious. Dua Lipa is not just famous, she is commercially famous. Endorsement deals, campaign work and brand alignment are a huge part of how celebrity value works now. So if her image was really used on packaging without approval, that is not just annoying. That is money, control and brand equity all getting dragged into the same argument.

Right now, this story is still at the opening stage. The lawsuit is on foot, Samsung has issued a response, and there has not yet been a reported hearing, settlement or court decision. But it is already one of those stories that feels bigger than the packaging photo itself, because it taps straight into a very now question: how expensive does it get when a global brand uses the wrong famous face in the wrong place?