The most valuable rights that don't exist

If you want to write a book or make a movie about someone, do they deserve a share of the royalties? At the very least, do you need to consult them?

Former NFL player Michael Oher has sued his conservators, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, claiming that they made millions off his life story. Mike Tyson has complained that Hulu “stole” his life story after the streaming service released a miniseries about the ex-boxer without consulting him.

According to law professors Jorge L. Contreras and Dave Fagundes, people often assume they deserve to be compensated for appearing in someone else’s work because headlines about film studios and publishers acquiring “life story rights” abound.

They explain that the phrase “life story rights” is a misnomer: Thanks to the First Amendment, anyone’s life is fair game for journalists, writers and filmmakers – provided a couple of important lines aren’t crossed.

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