Jennifer Lopez Is Getting Sued for Posting Pics of Herself—Yes, Seriously
Jennifer Lopez is facing legal trouble again—but this time, it’s over a red carpet post.
The 55-year-old singer and actress has been hit with two federal lawsuits for sharing paparazzi photos of herself on Instagram and X after attending a Vanity Fair and Amazon MGM Studios party the night before the 2025 Golden Globes. According to the BBC and Billboard, the photographer Edwin Blanco and the agency BackGrid USA are each suing Lopez for copyright infringement, claiming they own the rights to two of the images she posted on January 5.
Why Jennifer Lopez Is Being Sued Over Photos of Herself
The lawsuits, filed May 17, allege that Jennifer Lopez used the images without a license to promote her personal brand, style, and fashion collaborations. “Ms. Lopez’s unauthorized use of the Images is commercial in nature, intended for the purpose of self-promotion,” attorney Peter Perkowski wrote in the filing, as reported by Billboard. “For example, Ms. Lopez used the images to spotlight the designer of her clothing and jewelry, leveraging the publicity from the event to promote her fashion affiliations and brand partnerships.”
The photos show Lopez in a white dress and faux fur coat outside Bar Marmont in Los Angeles. She captioned the posts “GG Weekend Glamour” — and fans and fashion pages reposted them widely. But under U.S. copyright law, it doesn’t matter if you’re the subject of the photo; the photographer typically owns the copyright. That means Lopez would have needed permission to use the images, even if they’re of her.
This Isn’t the First Time Jennifer Lopez Has Been Sued Like This
If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Jennifer Lopez was sued in 2019 for posting a photo of herself with then-boyfriend Alex Rodriguez. That case, also handled by Perkowski, ended in a voluntary dismissal a year later. But it set a precedent.
According to Perkowski, that earlier lawsuit placed Lopez “on notice” of the legal risks around posting paparazzi content. The current case argues that she “has continued to engage in similar conduct, demonstrating a willful disregard for BackGrid’s copyrights through a pattern of behavior that undermines the rights of content creators.”
The Legal Stakes for Jennifer Lopez
According to the lawsuits, Lopez could be on the hook for up to $300,000 in damages—$150,000 per image. Blanco and BackGrid initially reached out to Lopez’s team the week after the posts went live. The two parties reportedly had “fruitful discussions” and reached a verbal settlement agreement. But Lopez never signed the agreement or made any payments, prompting the lawsuits.
As of now, Lopez’s reps haven’t commented publicly.
Why This Keeps Happening to Celebs
Lopez isn’t alone. Gigi Hadid, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, and Justin Bieber have all faced similar lawsuits in recent years. The issue stems from the disconnect between being photographed in public and owning the rights to that photo.
As attorney Perkowski explained to multiple outlets, public figures often treat their image as a brand asset. But unless they took the photo or purchased the rights, using paparazzi content—especially for self-promotion—can legally backfire.
Under copyright law, courts can award either actual damages (based on licensing fees and lost income) or statutory damages (up to $150,000 per image) if infringement is proven. Many of these cases settle privately for less.
