Indigenous actor Q’orianka Kilcher has initiated legal action against filmmaker James Cameron, asserting that her likeness was used without permission for the character Neytiri in the successful Avatar franchise. The lawsuit, filed in California, claims that Cameron and production companies, including The Walt Disney Company and Lightstorm Entertainment, utilized her facial features after being inspired by a photograph of her from the film The New World, where she played Pocahontas at age 14. Kilcher's attorney, Arnold P. Peter, stated that Cameron's actions constituted 'extraction' rather than mere inspiration. The lawsuit details a 2010 meeting where Cameron allegedly acknowledged Kilcher's beauty as an inspiration for Neytiri, which has been portrayed by actress Zoe Saldaña. Kilcher argues that her identity and Indigenous heritage were exploited commercially without her consent. The lawsuit seeks damages, profit disgorgement, and a public acknowledgment of the alleged misuse. Released in 2009, Avatar has become one of the highest-grossing films ever, leading to a multibillion-dollar franchise.