Indigenous actor Q’orianka Kilcher has filed a lawsuit against James Cameron and Disney, alleging that the director used her facial features without permission to create the character Neytiri in the Avatar franchise. The suit claims Cameron saw Kilcher in an advert for the 2005 film The New World, where she played Pocahontas, and then directed his design team to base Neytiri on her appearance.
According to the lawsuit, Cameron exploited Kilcher's 'biometric identity and cultural heritage' without credit or compensation. The character Neytiri is portrayed in the films by Zoe Saldaña. The suit describes the Avatar series, which has grossed billions, as a franchise that 'presented itself as sympathetic to Indigenous struggles, all while silently exploiting a real Indigenous youth behind the scenes'.
Kilcher recounts a 2010 meeting with Cameron, where he gave her a signed sketch of Neytiri with a note reading: 'Your beauty was my early inspiration for Neytiri. Too bad you were shooting another movie. Next time.' She claims Cameron never attempted to cast her, despite her agent's efforts.
Kilcher only learned of the alleged use of her features after a clip of Cameron circulated on social media, in which he said: 'The actual source for this was a photo in the LA Times, a young actress named Q’orianka Kilcher. This is actually her … her lower face. She had a very interesting face.'
Kilcher's lead counsel stated: 'He took the unique biometric facial features of a 14-year-old Indigenous girl, ran them through an industrial production process and generated billions of dollars in profit without ever once asking her permission. That is not film-making. That is theft.' The Guardian has sought comment from Cameron's representatives.
