Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger is suing Russia’s robot maker Promobot for using his likeness without permission, the TMZ tabloid reported Wednesday.
Schwarzenegger’s company is demanding $10 million in damages, as well as profits made off the lookalike robot and other expenses, according to TMZ. It also reportedly wants an injunction blocking Promobot from using the actor’s face and voice to market its customizable service android called the “Robo-C.”
.@Schwarzenegger’s creepy robot figure wants to be your friend! Arnold you down to be friends with it? pic.twitter.com/8ULXeFPbGq
— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) March 3, 2020
The lawsuit claims that Schwarzenegger has become the “unwilling face” of the android. The use of his face in ads, according to the outlet, “diminishes his hard-earned and well-deserved reputation as a motion picture star.”
Promobot had agreed to stop using the Schwarzenegger robot at public events after the star’s attorney sent them a cease and desist letter. However, TMZ reported that the lookalike showed up at a New York toy fair last month, prompting the lawsuit.
The robot maker disputed TMZ’s account, telling Russian media outlets Thursday that “there’s no lawsuit.”
Promobot said it had been in negotiations with Schwarzenegger’s company for months seeking to resolve the android dispute.
For now, it said it will discontinue using the Arnie android “to avoid misunderstanding.”
“If we don’t come to an agreement, we’ll simply recycle the polymer model that resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger,” Promobot’s press service said.
