Iman Shumpert of the Cleveland Cavaliers claims that the show Empire has stolen his and his girlfriends' likenesses for the show's characters, Hakeem and Tiana.
Iman Shumpert is pissed about ‘Empire’ characters that look like him and his girlfriend
He’s got a hilarious, but plausible, case.
Photos: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images (left), Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports (right)
OK then.
Shumpert is dating R&B singer, dancer and actress Teyana Taylor, and while he’s never watched the show, family and friends apparently told him that Hakeem, and his on-screen girlfriend Tiana, bear a striking resemblance to the player and his girlfriend.
“They’re using my girl’s character, her style, her look and she’s not getting anything for it,” Shumpert said. “They didn’t even change her name. They could have at least let my girl audition for the part instead of stealing her character completely.
“And come on man, they’re really using a guy with a flat top like me. Come on. That’s ridiculous. They never called us. We were blindsided. We found out by our family and fans when the show aired.”
There are some similarities for sure. Both Shumpert and Hakeem feature similar haircuts, and Tiana and Teyana are similar names.
Maybe he’s got a point?
Photos: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images (left), Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports (right)
