‘Fresh Prince’ star Alfonso Ribeiro can’t claim ‘Carlton’ dance move used in Fortnite game, says copyright office
- Television character’s trademark move cannot be copyrighted, officials insist, meaning video game makers can use it – and others – as much as they want
Alfonso Ribeiro, one of the stars of the hit US television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has been denied a copyright for the “Carlton” dance, which he is suing two video game makers over.
The denial from the US Copyright Office was revealed on Wednesday in a motion to dismiss Ribeiro’s lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive, the makers of NBA 2K16, which Ribeiro says illegally makes use of the dance.
The document denying the copyright says the moves in the “Carlton” represent a simple dance routine rather than a work of choreography, which can be copyrighted.
A hearing on the motion to dismiss is scheduled for March 18.
Ribeiro’s dance was popularised through his character, Carlton Banks, on the 1990s sitcom.
He is also suing Epic Games over the use of the dance in Fortnite, joining several rappers suing the game for using their dances.