Many people would — and some have probably tried to — sell their own mothers in order to get into a major motion picture. Not Bilal Ahmed.
The Oregon resident filed a lawsuit against Lionsgate Entertainment in Los Angeles Superior Court last week, alleging that his image was used without authorization in the 2010 Russell Crowe film "The Next Three Days."
Ahmed claims that his appearance in the movie has hampered his future prospects for employment — and, perhaps even worse, made him change his hairstyle.
Read the full lawsuit here.
Ahmed, who's suing for "appropriation of name or likeness and publicity that places him in a false light," claims that he is "depicted as a wanted fugitive along with other known or alleged terrorists or fugitives, including Osama Bin Laden" when, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
"Plaintiff is not, or at the time of the film's release was, a wanted fugitive, but is currently working and living in Oregon," the lawsuit reads.
According to the suit, his image is featured prominently in the trailer for the film, and is flashed no fewer than four times during a minute-and-a-half segment toward the tail end of the film.
As a result, Ahmed feels that his prospects for future employment are diminished, since potential bosses might mistake him for the fugitive he's allegedly depicted as.
Most heartbreaking of all? "Plaintiff does not feel comfortable wearing his hair and facial hair as depicted in the movie for fear of greater connection between the movie and him," the lawsuit states.
Claiming that he's suffered "impairment to future earning capacity, damage to his reputation, mental anguish and suffering, humiliation, and embarrassment," Ahmed is seeking $250,000 in damages, along with $51,000 — which he estimates is .01 percent of the film's gross sales — plus attorney fees and court costs.
Lionsgate did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
