Queen Latifah’s production company is facing a lawsuit for allegedly stealing the concept for the BET Her reality show From The Bottom Up.
Flavor Unit Entertainment, BET and series creator Nicci Gilbert — a member of the 90s R&B group Brownstone — have been sued by Latosha Lee, according to documents obtained by The Blast. Lee says From The Bottom Up is a rip-off of her prospective show Real Life Cinderellas of Atlanta, which she came up with in 2013.
Lee claims she put together a cast and shot a sizzle reel for her show, then sent it to networks and producers. The suit says BET producers appeared to have interest but ceased any contact.
In 2016, From The Bottom Up premiered on the BET Networks-owned channel Centric, which has since been rebranded as BET Her. The Flavor Unit-produced reality show follows “five women who were very successful until unforeseen circumstances derailed their careers.”
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Lee says the concept mirrored her idea, which would follow “the daily lives of women who had gone through publicized scandals and were seeking redemption.”
According to the suit, the cast would include five “African-American quasi-celebrity women living in Atlanta, Georgia who have all experienced media scandals and working toward their lives around.”
Lee alleges From The Bottom Up, which wrapped up its third season in 2018, also included similar cast members and storylines.
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She is seeking an injunction to stop BET and Flavor Unit from airing the show and recoup the profits.
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