Torts/Personal Injury,
Entertainment & Sports
Sep. 18, 2024
Legal considerations for movies and TV shows claiming to be based on true stories
True stories or films based on them are protected by the First Amendment but must inform viewers of any harmful content. Disclaimers can affect whether a film is seen as defamatory.
Chris L. Perez
Partner Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP
Haley Mark
Law Clerk Callif Perez, LLP
We all love them. From The Social Network, to The Wolf of Wall Street, to Argo, there's nothing better than a film that is too good to be true - except that it is true, according to the people that made them. How are programs that depict true stories or claim they are "a true story," "based on a true story," or "inspired by a true story" legal? How can people protect themselves when they become the subjects of one?
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