The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's Alfonso Ribeiro and 'Backpack Kid' sue Epic over Fortnite emotes

[BrennoARTS]

Alfonso Ribeiro, known to the world for his portrayal of Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has filed a lawsuit against Epic Games over its use of his signature "Carlton" dance in Fortnite. The lawsuit follows one filed earlier this month by rapper 2 Milly, who claimed that his Milly Rock dance appears in Fortnite, without credit or compensation, as the "Swipe It" emote. 

Ribiero's lawsuit claims that he created and first performed "The Dance," as the suit calls it, in 1991 during the "Will's Christmas Show" episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and that it remains "distinctive, immediately recognizable, and inextricably linked to Ribeiro's identity, celebrity, and likeness." It references his performance of the dance on Dancing With the Stars (which he won, by the way, along with partner Witney Carson), during a celebrity golf tournament with Stephen Curry and Justin Timberlake, and alongside Will and Jaden Smith during a 2013 appearance on the Graham Norton Show.   

"The Dance has become synonymous with Ribeiro, who is unanimously credited with creating The Dance," the lawsuit states. "Ribeiro has also been interviewed several times about the creation of The Dance and how to properly perform it. Accordingly, The Dance is a part of Ribeiro’s identity and The Dance’s unique movements readily evoke a connection to Ribeiro."