What does Likeness Rights mean?
Likeness Rights refers to a performer’s legal right to control how their image, voice, and physical appearance are used for commercial purposes. Likeness rights are a component of the broader right of publicity. For performers, likeness rights govern how productions can use their image in marketing materials, merchandise, and future productions after their initial performance has been recorded. For child actors, likeness rights require particular attention because minors may sign agreements they do not fully understand.
Example:The entertainment attorney reviewed the likeness rights provisions in the child actor’s contract carefully — confirming that the studio’s rights to use her image in marketing were limited to promoting the specific production, and did not extend to merchandise or AI-generated content without additional compensation.
Example: The parent was surprised to learn that the commercial contract included broad likeness rights provisions — allowing the brand to continue using the child’s image in advertising for three years, a term the attorney negotiated down to eighteen months with a usage fee for any extension.
Did you know?
The 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike specifically addressed AI likeness protections, securing provisions requiring consent and compensation for AI uses of performers’ likenesses — a landmark development in the legal evolution of this right. Performers who signed contracts before AI image and voice generation became viable may find their likeness rights agreements do not adequately protect them.
You can also find “Likeness Rights” and related terms in this category: Contracts and Agreements.
