• Samantha Barbash, the woman who inspired Jennifer Lopez’s character, Ramona, in Hustlers, is suing the film’s producers for $40 million.
• The ex-stripper is claiming the film “exploited” her likeness and never received her signed approval to tell her story.
• Lopez was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in the film.

Once a hustler, always a hustler.

Samantha Barbash—the woman whose story inspired the character of Ramona in the movie Hustlers—is suing the film’s producers, including Jennifer Lopez’s production company, for a staggering $40 million.

According to People, the federal lawsuit filed by Barbash against Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions, STX Entertainment, Gloria Sanchez Productions, and Pole Sisters LLC, claims that the movie’s producers “exploited” Barbash’s likeness and character.

Barbash also claims that the film’s producers attempted to “obtain a consent and waiver” from her before production started on the film, but she never agreed or signed away her likeness for their “ultimate portrayal” of her. The former stripper also alleges the film attempts to defame her likeness by portraying the character of Ramona as “using and manufacturing illegal substances in her home where she lived with her child.”

Gotham//Getty Images

In suing the production companies, Barbash is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and an additional $20 million in punitive damages.

Lopez praised the real-life storyline that inspired Hustlers while promoting the film last year, having called the opportunity to play the character of Ramona an “empowering” moment in her career. Lopez was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in the film and buzz of an Oscar nomination hasn’t stopped since the film’s release.

Lopez recently opened up to W Magazine about why she decided to tackle the role of Ramona, who she described as a “dark or complicated” character.

“Ramona reminded me of that girlfriend we all have who is exciting but can also get you into trouble,” explained Lopez. “You always miss that friend when she’s gone, but when you get together, you worry you might find yourself in some crazy situation. That’s Ramona.”

Bianca Betancourt is the culture editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, where she covers all things film, TV, music, and more. When she's not writing, she loves impulsively baking a batch of cookies, re-listening to the same early-2000s pop playlist, and stalking Mariah Carey's Twitter feed. 

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