The 'Florida Joker' from the GTA 6 trailer now wants millions from Rockstar after claiming 'Y'all took my likeness'
A tall order
Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) finally got its first trailer earlier this month (December 4), and while it arrived to much applause, there was at least one person who didn't look upon it so favorably.
One said person is someone who is known as the 'Florida Joker,' Lawrence Sullivan. Recently, he took to Twitter to complain that Rockstar had stolen his likeness: “Y’all took my likeness, y’all took my life.” Sullivan is currently demanding $2 million from the publisher Rockstar; however, he hasn't taken legal action yet.
Sullivan refers to the short appearance in the GTA 6 trailer of a pink-haired character who is seemingly sitting in a courtroom. While the image appeared for a very short time, it was among many other stills that have apparently been based on real videos and images taken in the state of Florida.
Regardless of whether this claim is substantiated or not, this isn't the first time that Rockstar has been put in the hot seat. When Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5) was released, actor Lindsey Lohan attempted to sue the publisher, claiming her likeness was used in the form of a minor character in the open-world game (via BBC). However, a New York court dismissed her claim, stating that the character was simply a "generic young woman."
While the outcome of Sullivan's claims has yet to be seen, Red Dead Redemption 2's Arthur Morgan voice actor has also come out to weigh in on the situation. Roger Clark posted a video on TikTok responding to Sullivan: "You don't need to talk to them. They're not going to talk to you." Clark said. "They've had people like you trying to sue them for decades. They are lawyered up, man. They know exactly what they can and cannot get away with."
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Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.
Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they've taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.