Disney Hit With $250 Million Lawsuit From Woman Who Says Frozen Is Based on Her Life Story… Wait, What?

September 25, 2014

Frozenprincess

Just when you think you’ve heard it all! I meant to report this last night but I fell asleep! This is pretty good….. A woman is suing Disney over the Movie “Frozen” saying they took the idea from her. I thought “Frozen” was “loosely” based on the old story “The Snow Queen”? Anyhow, here’s the scoop according to E-News~

Isabella Tanikumi, who also goes by L. Amy Gonzalez, has filed a three-page Federal complaint against the Walt Disney Company saying the company plagiarized her life story to make the blockbuster Frozen, E! News confirms, and is suing the mass media corporation for $250 million.

According to court documents, Tanikumi states that the basis of the popular children’s film was taken from her 2010 autobiography Living My Truth, where Tanikumi writes about growing up in the Andean mountains of Peru. The author claims Disney copied the feeling, story, characters and plot from her original work and is demanding a jury trial.

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When contacted by E! News, Tanikumi’s attorney, William T. Anastasio, said, “In response to your query regarding Isabella Tanikumi’s claim against Disney, she has requested that I email you the attached Complaint which was filed this past Monday in the Federal District Court. Ms. Tanikumi is a very private individual and does not wish to be interviewed at this time. As the case moves through the Courts I am sure more information will become available concerning her claims.”

Frozen, which was said to be inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged iceman, his loyal pet reindeer and a snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have inadvertently trapped the kingdom in an eternal winter.

Tanikumi’s complaint highlights 18 specific examples that show the parallels between her work and Frozen, from everything to characters and their names to the relationship between the two sisters to the image of “hands to the sky with sprinkles.” Walt Disney Company was not immediately available for comment.

So, what do YOU think about this one? She should probably just “Let It Go” and move on……. ~M

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Michele Atwood Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Main Street Mouse
Michele Atwood is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Main Street Mouse, one of Florida's leading Disney and theme park news sources since 2010. A credentialed Disney Partner and media professional, Michele serves as a theme park contributor and insider for Fox 35 Orlando and WDBO radio covering Disney and Central Florida attractions. Michele has also contributed to the Orlando Sentinel, WESH 2, and Spectrum News 13. Michele is the published author of four books — "Moving to Main Street U.S.A.," "How Many Sleeps Till Disney?," "How Many Sleeps Till Disneyland?" and "Daydream Believing: Confessions of a Grown Up Princess" and is co-owner of the House of Mouse Expo and Lost Princess Apparel. With over a decade of hands-on coverage of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and Central Florida theme parks, Michele brings firsthand expertise and media access to every story she covers.



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2 thoughts on “Disney Hit With $250 Million Lawsuit From Woman Who Says Frozen Is Based on Her Life Story… Wait, What?”
  1. The book apparently has another title, Yearnings of the Heart. I found it on Amazon and read the reviews. The reviews are very entertaining! (And the majority of the readers did not like the book and see no resemblance to Frozen.)

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