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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Porn Producer Sues Actress Over Rights

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A pornographic actor and filmmaker asked a judge to weigh in on a dispute over image rights to an actress who he claims agreed to perform in one of his films.

Paul Little aka Max Hardcore sued actress Alaina Hicks, 21, who performs under the name Bonnie Rotten, in Superior Court.

Little claims the actress is trying to repudiate a January 2012 artists agreement that gave him permission to use her performance in an adult film he acted in and produced.

Little claims that Hicks received a "substantial benefit" from appearing in his film, "Fuck Puppets 2."

"Hicks without justification, breached the agreement by repudiating the contract and demanded that plaintiff Little cease and desist from using her performance in the adult film that plaintiff Little produced," the complaint states.

Though Hicks continues to exploit her performance in the movie, she sued Little in Cook County, Illinois for appropriation of identity and defamation, claiming she never gave Little permission to use her performance in the film, Little says.

In that lawsuit, obtained from the Courthouse News Service database, Hicks claims that Little tweeted images and links to a scene in the porn flick, along with several comments, including: "'I partied with Bonnie Rotten before she got into the business.'"

"Videos produced by and featuring defendant Little, who performs under the stage name Max Hardcore frequently depict forced sex, degrading language and vomiting and urination," the Cook County lawsuit says.

In the Cook County filing, Hick says that Little was convicted in Florida on obscenity charges in 2008 and says that the scene in which she appears contained "numerous examples" of degrading and humiliating conduct.

But in his July 3 complaint, Little says: "Defendant Hicks brought her action in a state court in the State of Illinois despite the fact the agreement that she signed was entered into in California, her performance that was required under the contract was in California and she identified herself in the complaint filed in state court in Illinois as a resident of the State of California."

Little wants a judge to find the agreement is binding, plus damages and costs.

He is represented by Keith Rouse of Pasadena.

Hicks' attorney Karl Hunsicker called Little's filing "nothing more than retaliation," adding that his client had been forced to take legal action after Little "refused to sign an agreement reached by both parties in July of 2013."

"To date, neither myself nor my client have seen the purported model release alluded to in Mr. Little's lawsuit despite repeated requests," Hunsicker said in an email.

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