Director Of “My Nappy Roots” Sues Chris Rock Over “Good Hair”
Posted by: Olivia Allin
Filed in:
entertainment, video
1:20PM, Wednesday October 7th 2009
Chris Rock‘s “Good Hair” hasn’t even come out yet, and he’s already being sued. Filmmaker Regina Kimbell filed the suit, claiming that the flick infringes on the copyright for her award-winning documentary, “My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through Black Hair-itage,” which she maybe screened for Chris Rock two years ago. The lawsuit claims that there are major similarities between the two films, including the inspiration (their daughters) and the interviews with medical pros, celebs and comedians. Plus, both filmmakers go to hair relaxer manufacturing plants and touch on India’s involvement in providing hair for weaves. Even the trailers for both films are pretty similar—just compare the “My Nappy Roots” preview above to the “Good Hair” one after the jump. [MSNBC]
“Good Hair” opens in select cities this week and nationwide on October 23, while Kimbell’s film received several awards at independent movie festivals between 2002 and 2007. Kimbell says that Chris Rock’s executive producer, Doug Miller, asked for a private screening of “My Nappy Roots” for Chris Rock, but afterward, Miller wouldn’t sign the non-disclosure agreement. Now Kimbell is suing for copyright infringement, unfair competition, fraud and deceit and is looking to make about five million dollars in the trial.
These trailers are a bit too close for comfort, but we’re not quite ready to accuse Chris Rock of wrongdoing. Why didn’t he just hire Regina to help him as a consultant or something? Her movie was never released to the mainstream, while his has a chance to reach a large audience. Maybe they could’ve just joined forces?
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mayorbubbles
wrote on October 7 2009 @ 01:05 pm: [report]
they have similar themes but the trailer don’t make them seem the same… to me at least.
magz
wrote on October 7 2009 @ 01:38 pm: [report]
I’m with mayorbubbles, they have the same subject matter but it seems like, from the trailers, each film takes on the subject with a different angle. Kimball seems to be coming from a more historic point of view, whereas Rock seems to be just explaining what happens. Not sure if she’s really got a case.
bethlynn00
wrote on October 7 2009 @ 03:26 pm: [report]
I mean this is not really an original idea, there have been other books and docs about black hair predating both of these movies, so of course they are going to have common themes and ideas. Black people have been having this debate since the first hot comb, so none of this is new, but now it’s just out there for the mainstream to discuss as well.
SUBZERO
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 07:07 am: [report]
I just finished watching the wonderful and well presented documentary film clip, “My Nappy Roots”. As a 51 year old African American man, watching it really took me back to when I was a kid growing up in Denver in the 70’s.
We as African Americans (Black) people have proven to non Black Americans that not only do we come in all shades of skin color, but we can and have styled our hair many various styles over the decades. We have fried, dyed it and laid it to the side, conked it, small afros, big afros, jheri curled it, dripping curled it, braided it, dread locked it and weaved it.
Copying or duplication is the greatest form of flattery. I have seen many young high school age Whites and some young Latinos that have their hair in small braids or dread locks and it is all good. The film maker of this film is very talented and tells it like it is from a realistic historic view point with Black actors/actresses that are familiar faces to us.
The Chris Rock version seems to me to be more of just a commercial style movie that does not seem to be as deeply rooted in our real nappy roots from back in the day. Keep up the good work sista. NKD – Miami (Little Cuba) Florida. Tuesday, 27 Oct 09