Everyone now knows the Fiji Water Girl.
You remember...
From the Golden Globes red carpet?
She went viral after she somehow managed to photobomb many a celebrity's photo as she carried a tray of Fiji Water.
Well not everything is happiness and joy in the land of Fiji Water (the water, not the South Pacific archipelago nation).
This woman holding FIJI Water at the #GoldenGlobes truly came to SERVE. https://t.co/Aln54zOhKY— E! News (@E! News) 1546819480.0
Fiji Water Girl is a model with a name, Kelleth Cuthbert, and she is suing Fiji Water for unauthorized use of her image.
"Fiji Water Girl" Kelleth Cuthbert suing company that made her famous https://t.co/hl7irDrd9W https://t.co/thit4NTM6X— CBS News (@CBS News) 1549058400.0
"Fiji Water Girl" sues the company for using her likeness without permission https://t.co/4dOoKWpr6g https://t.co/57GAAtvzHx— Variety (@Variety) 1549058573.0
If you're wondering what Fiji Water Girl is up to now, she's suing Fiji Water. https://t.co/Ev4tFbo4yv https://t.co/TSup1qavbx— E! News (@E! News) 1549056229.0
After her now infamous Golden Globes appearance, which had been organized by the company Matrix Staffing, Fiji Water launched a marketing campaign using Cuthbert's likeness.
According to The Hollywood Reporter:
"The model claims the company asked her 'to sign away her rights in the moniker 'Fiji Water Girl' and authorize the use of her photo and likeness in the campaign — and says she didn't agree to it."
Fiji Water responded by saying...
"This lawsuit is frivolous and entirely without merit."
"After the Golden Globes social media moment, we negotiated a generous agreement with Ms. Cuthbert that she blatantly violated."
"We are confident that we will prevail in Court. Throughout our history, we have had a sterling reputation working with talent."
Here is one of the company's uses of Cuthbert's likeness:
So the Fiji water people did this to my neighborhood grocery store. https://t.co/0DsmfXMwUq— Travon Free (@Travon Free) 1547249168.0
People were cheering Cuthbert on.
The Fiji water girl is every actor who has done a promo job for crappy money under the false promise of it being an… https://t.co/QcqtnA8wct— Nicola Thorp (@Nicola Thorp) 1546824296.0
Pay her...ok? Read this... she did her job, ...then they decided to capitalize on it and didn't pay her. Smh. Gold… https://t.co/w8wRlZNkSP— SunnyAnderson (@SunnyAnderson) 1548981647.0
GET THAT PAPER THELLETH THUTHBERTH https://t.co/PPYBuO1it5— Tara Ariano (@Tara Ariano) 1548976297.0
@JarettSays Yes, girl. Let that Fiji Water flood your bank account. Here. For. It. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾— Fat. Ugly. Truth. (@Fat. Ugly. Truth.) 1548994132.0
Whether the case will have its day in court remains to be seen.
Till then, we stan a legend.