Linda Fairstein takes on Netflix in court over her portrayal in ‘When They See Us.’ Dive into the heated debate surrounding dramatized true stories.

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Hey, everyone!

What is buzzing in the entertainment world right now? Netflix, the streaming giant we all know and love, has landed in some serious legal trouble over its popular series “When They See Us.” Let us dive into what happened, piece by piece.

Linda Fairstein is Not Happy

Remember Linda Fairstein? She used to be a big-shot lawyer and also penned a few best-sellers. She is upset about how she was shown in this Netflix series, which aired in 2019. She believes the series did not portray her correctly and has now taken Netflix to court over it!

What Does the Judge Say?

Judge Kevin Castel is on Fairstein’s side. This Tuesday, he agreed that the series might have unjustly shown her in a bad light. She was portrayed as a villain in the show, but she says that was not the case in real life. Based on their research material, the judge mentioned that the Netflix series showed her doing things and saying things she never did.

A Little Backstory on the Show

For those who have not seen it, “When They See Us” is about a real-life event that happened way back in 1989. Five teenagers were wrongly blamed and sent to jail for a crime they did not commit. After spending several precious years in prison, they were finally proven innocent in 2002.

What is Bothering Linda Fairstein?

During the time all of this was happening, Linda was heading a special team handling sex crimes in Manhattan. She says the show wrongly showed her hiding evidence and forcing confessions from these young guys, which is untrue.

After the show was released, many people got angry with Linda — she lost her job and even had to leave several groups she was part of. People even started a hashtag #CancelLindaFairstein to express their anger online.

Netflix and Team’s Defense

Netflix and the creators, Ava DuVernay and Attica Locke, do not agree with Linda. They believe they have the right to show real events from a different angle, and the law protects this — specifically, the First Amendment. They also mentioned that the lawsuit might stop filmmakers from sharing stories from “different and often marginalized perspectives.”

What Happened to the Real Victims?

While all this is happening, let us not forget the real victims here — the five wrongly imprisoned individuals. In 2014, they finally got a settlement of $41 million from New York City, although the city never admitted they were wrong in the first place.

What is Next?

This case, officially called Fairstein v. Netflix Inc et al, will go to a jury. They will decide if Netflix was unfair in portraying Linda in their series.

So, there you have it, folks! It is a complex situation with a lot of moving parts.

It shows how sensitive and challenging it can be to recreate real-life events on screen.

What do you think about the whole situation?

Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned for more updates on this unfolding drama.

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