What was filed
The complaint is Document 1 in No. 2:26-cv-11882, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, filed October 12, 2026 (10 pages). The plaintiffs are Jill Greenberg, a photographer, and Jill Greenberg Studio, Inc., the New York company through which she licenses her work, both of Tivoli, New York. The defendants are Creative Artists Agency, LLC (CAA), of Los Angeles, California, and Does 1 through 50. Counsel for the plaintiffs is Harmon Seidman & Bruss, LLC. The plaintiffs demand a jury trial. (Compl. pp. 1, 3, 9 to 10.)
What the complaint alleges
It alleges that Greenberg photographed Kinnear on October 24, 2018, in a shoot arranged by Salon for its "Social and Salon" series, and that the photograph at issue is registered as part of a group registration of published photographs, Registration No. VA 2-127-693, effective November 15, 2018. It alleges that the only license ever granted was a one-year license to a third party in February 2019 that expired in February 2020, and that CAA never held a license. (Compl. pp. 4 to 5.)
On information and belief, the complaint alleges that CAA, as Kinnear's talent representation, reproduced or distributed the photograph, including by providing it to Netflix in connection with promotion of a Netflix program in which Kinnear appeared. It alleges that Variety and Deadline stated through counsel that they received the photograph from Netflix as promotional material. Netflix, Variety, and Deadline are not named as defendants. It quotes a July 15, 2026 email from CAA stating that "there was a miscommunication" and that efforts were being made "to resolve this issue with Variety," and alleges that, despite follow-up emails and calls from Greenberg's counsel, CAA has not provided the accounting of recipients, confirmation that use had stopped, or other information requested in an August 11, 2026 demand letter. (Compl. pp. 5 to 6.)
Count I, against CAA only, alleges direct copyright infringement of the reproduction and distribution rights under 17 U.S.C. 106 and alleges willfulness. Count II alleges contributory copyright infringement against CAA and the Doe defendants, based on alleged direct infringement by Netflix, Variety, Deadline, and the Doe defendants. The prayer seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction, an order requiring CAA to identify everyone it gave the photograph to and notify them to stop using it, impoundment under 17 U.S.C. 503, actual damages and profits under 17 U.S.C. 504(b) or statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work under 17 U.S.C. 504(c), attorneys' fees, costs, and expert witness fees under 17 U.S.C. 505, and prejudgment and postjudgment interest. (Compl. pp. 7 to 9.)