Smash'ed: Marilyn Monroe Impersonator Sues Dreamworks For $10M, Claiming Studio Stole Her Idea For NBC Show ‘Smash’
May 28 2014, Published 7:40 a.m. ET
A Marilyn Monroe impersonator has smashed DreamWorks Studios with a lawsuit, alleging the company stole her idea for the NBC show Smash!
In the suit, Weiss said that she’s been a Monroe impersonator for 14 years and claims that DreamWorks stole her idea to her musical drama screenplay, titled Just Like Marilyn, for its TV series.
Weiss alleged her script revolved around performers who impersonate Monroe.
She claimed that the show Smash stole her idea and even featured many of her story lines including Monroe ghost appearances and situations with characters and their boyfriends.
Weiss said the plot, wardrobe and even the overall theme of Smash is stolen from her.
And she wants no less than 10 million dollars and an injunction from the studio from distributing Smash!
The low-rated but critically praised NBC show, which was cancelled last year after just two seasons, concerned the creation of a Marilyn Monroe musical for Broadway.
In the drama, an experienced actress played by Megan Hilty vied for the top role opposite a newbie, portrayed by former American Idol singer Katharine McPhee. According to the documents, Weiss wrote the screenplay “using the events that happened in her life” then “shopped the screenplay around Hollywood,” sending co-founder Steven Spielberg’s company, DreamWorks, a query letter about it including its characters and plot.
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Spielberg served as one of the executive producers of Smash.
Weiss, who can be seen playing a decidedly older version of sex symbol Monroe in online videos, also alleged that she was robbed of her flash drive at an internet café and implied DreamWorks was to blame!
“They collaborated and schemed to have a man in jeans and black leather jackets rob Melissa one day on Hollywood Boulevard of three of her screenplays that were on her flash drive, which they include in Smash,” the papers said.
Weiss has charged DreamWorks with copyright infringement, breach of implied contract, unfair competition, declaratory relief and injunctive relief and has demanded a jury trial.
The studio has yet to respond.