Actor Hayden Christensen, best known for playing Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in New York District Court claiming that the USA Network stole his idea for a TV show. Christensen’s suit alleges that the cable network’s comedy series Royal Pains is ripped off of an idea Christensen and his brother Tove pitched for a show entitled Housecall about a concierge doctor in Malibu who makes house calls to wealthy and famous clients. According to the complaint, Christensen is seeking profits from the show and damages “believed to be in the millions of dollars.”
Jul 8
2010
06:24 PM ET
Hayden Christensen sues USA Network over alleged idea theft
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sounds pretty close to me. good luck hayden!
Can I sue him for stealing some of my childhood with his terrible, cardboard-like performance in Star Wars.
I hate to be cliche, but this made me laugh out loud… literally! I feel you, Das Boot.
fo rills!
Not unless it was your idea that he act that way.
YES!!! how about a class suit for that.
L.O.L.
I’m torn. I want to root against him for helping Lucas ruin Star Wars, but it does seem that USA may have ripped him off (if they had some kind of a treatment or script, a pitch with a title could’ve taken under two minutes.) Seems odd that they waited until Royal Pains was a hit well into it’s second season to file suit.
Also with the popularity of Medical procedurals and America’s obsession with rich people I’d bet that Royal Pains and “Housecall,” were just one of many scripts based on that premise over the past few years.
I find I am losing interest in Royal Pains.
It’s impossible to tell the strength of his argument from this little news blurb. You can’t copyright ideas, it’s the execution that matters. If he can demonstrate a wide overlap between his details and Royal Pains, as well as USA having opportunity to see his scripts or pitch, then he’d have a better chance.
Exactly.
As I understood it from another, more detailed article, it was the USa network that they actually pitched the idea to, so there’s your opportunity right there.
He ought to be suing Spike TV. The more they show Episodes II and III, the less chance he has of ever landing an acting job again.
lol! good one!
Great writers will always have great ideas for something else honestly Hayden Christensen doesn’t have any great ideas otherwise he wouldn’t be complaining to USA Network. It’s one thing for none actors to say you ripped off my idea but for an actor is just unbelievable!
Personally, I’m always a tad dubious when it takes someone a year (or more) to “realize” someone stole their idea and aired it on national in-no-way-hidden-from-the-public-eye tv.
Me too. You couldn’t have filed this last year? I mean, I’m wondering how hard up Hayden must be for cash. It’s crazy.
It takes a while to file things. I’m sure he realized the similarities right away.
You really shouldn’t be hating on the guy just because he was in the Star Wars prequels. True the movies were bad, and his acting mediocre, but who wouldn’t accept the job to star in a Star Wars movie?
And honestly, watch some of his other movies like “Shattered Glass” or “Life as a House”, the terrible performance as Anakin wasn’t really his fault. All depends on the writing and the directing. Can anyone honestly say that the amazing Natalie Portman or Ewan McGregor looked or sounded that much better in those terrible films?
I actually thought Ewan McGregor was really good in the prequels
Yes, they were much better. Although, I didn’t mind most of his performance. The stupid parts were the romance scenes and when he talked about his mother. Where was Sam Worthington when we needed him?
So does this mean that USA can sue the Mentalist for ripping off Psych???
So glad Psych is coming back soon.
Me too. Shawn and Gus always brighten up my day
I’m just shocked he alleges to have an original though!
Er, I meant thought!
Yeah, Hayden, well I’d like to talk to FOX about Lie to Me. Seriously, came up with a tv pitch in one of my college classes in May 2008. Exact title, just a female lead.
Only amateurs believe their ideas are stolen. Professionals know, that their ideas arent unique. People think alike, and sooner or later – probably sooner – someone else will think the exact same thing. Besides, its never about the idea, its all about the execution.
You do realize that sometimes people actually DO win these lawsuits, right? It’s not often, but sometimes they do, meaning that ideas are stolen. Two examples off the top of my head would be “Coming to America” and “Frequency.”
need money?? getta job! or sue for something important (ie insurance claim)
One of the ten worst actors……ever!