10 Interviews That Led to HUGE Lawsuits
#10: Oprah Winfrey & James Frey “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (1986-2011)
James Frey’s 2003 memoir, “A Million Little Pieces,” was a huge bestseller in its day, a harrowing confessional tale about substance use. Oprah even included it as a selection in her book club, which helped its sales. But critics detected a ring of inauthenticity. Soon, their suspicions were vindicated after an exposé was published. Oprah invited Frey to her show in 2006, directly confronting him. Frey admitted to fabricating important parts of his memoir, and it wasn’t long before irate readers sued Random House for the misleading marketing. Random House settled the lawsuit, issuing refunds to readers who bought the book before that fateful 2006 interview. Lies always cost.
#9: Sean Penn vs. Lee Daniels
“The Hollywood Reporter” (1930-)
The co-creator of the hit TV series, “Empire,” filmmaker Lee Daniels got himself in hot legal water with just one careless sentence in an interview. In The Hollywood Reporter, Daniels defended the show’s star Terrence Howard, who was facing domestic abuse allegations, claiming that he had done “nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn.” Penn himself wasted no time in suing Daniels for defamation, claiming he had never been arrested for domestic violence. In the settlement, Daniels apologized sincerely for the remark and agreed to contribute to Penn’s charity. All’s well that ends well, but this could have gone far worse.
#8: George Stephanopoulos & Nancy Mace
“ABC News” (1945-)
Not knowing the correct legal terms can also cost you big. In 2024, news anchor George Stephanopoulos sat down with congresswoman Nancy Mace. In the interview, Stephanopoulos asked Mace, a victim of assault, how she could continue supporting Donald Trump, who was found liable for the same crime by a jury. Mace fired back, saying it was a civil trial, not a criminal conviction, accusing Stephanopoulos of shaming her. Trump sued Stephanopoulos, eventually settling with ABC. ABC agreed to issue an apology and pay a Trump foundation $15 million. Ironically, a federal judge later ruled Stephanopoulos’ remark was accurate in “common modern parlance.” What a mess.
#7: Nicholas Sandmann vs. Media Outlets Various
In 2019, two marches, the Indigenous Peoples March and the March for Life, clashed at the Lincoln Memorial. When five Black Hebrew Israelites began to taunt the groups, students from a Catholic high school arrived, many of whom in MAGA hats, responded with their own taunts, including an Indigenous one. In response, the Native Americans confronted the students, led by Nicholas Sandmann. The media at the time framed the students as beginning the strife out of racism. Sandmann defended himself and his fellow students in a TODAY interview. Afterwards, he sued The Washington Post, CNN, and others for defamation, eventually reaching settlements. Talk about escalation.
#6: Michael Jackson & Martin Bashir
“Living with Michael Jackson” (2003)
This legendary interview took a very creepy turn. In 2003, journalist Martin Bashir interviewed Michael Jackson in the film “Living with Michael Jackson.” Jackson confessed his childhood abuse at the hands of his father and talked about sharing his bed with children. Bashir’s documentary stirred huge controversy, with the journalist criticized for misrepresenting Jackson and deleting material. Some months afterwards, Jackson was charged with two counts of intoxicating a minor and seven counts of CSA. Jackson was acquitted of all counts in 2005, although his legal problems in that area still continued.
#5: Meghan Markle’s Interview with Oprah Winfrey
“Oprah with Meghan and Harry” (2021)
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, caused controversy when the pair stepped down as members of the British royal family. In March 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview, talking about their personal lives and their struggles with living under the public eye. They also criticized the monarchy as an institution, with Meghan confessing to having mental health issues. The interview caused contention on all sides, but one unexpected reaction came from Markle’s half-sister, Samantha. She sued Markle for defamation, accusing her of making false statements and misrepresenting her father. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2023. This interview pushed some buttons indeed.
#4: Tyra Banks vs. Netflix “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” (2026)
In 2026, Netflix released its three-part documentary series “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” following the impact, legacy, and controversies of the hit reality show. The series included interviews with executive producer and presenter Tyra Banks, as well as the creators and contestants. Banks sued Netflix, alleging the series misrepresented her actions on the show and painted her in a false light. She claimed that the series used only 16 minutes of the three-and-a-half-hour interview she had. You could say she was rooting for Netflix, but alas, it let her down.
#3: Kamala Harris & “60 Minutes” “60 Minutes” (1968-)
Sometimes it isn’t even the interview at fault. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for an interview with “60 Minutes” about her presidential campaign, including her salient political and economic issues. The interview was broadcast without controversy on anyone’s part—except, apparently, Donald Trump’s. Trump sued CBS and Paramount, alleging the editing of the interview to favor Harris and aid in her campaign, in particular distorting Harris’ foreign policy. Paramount and CBS agreed to settle the lawsuit and pay $16 million to Trump’s foundation. The capitulation stirred major controversy, with “60 Minutes” producer Bill Owens resigning in protest and the creative team refusing to apologize. All much ado about editing.
#2: R. Kelly Survivors Interview
“Surviving R. Kelly” (2019-23)
After a long string of abuse allegations stretching from the 90s and becoming the subject of a long-term investigation, R. Kelly was acquitted in 2008 of possessing explicit material and other charges. In 2019, a Lifetime documentary was released going through R. Kelly’s criminal behavior, with interviews of his victims detailing the abuse suffered at his hands. After the documentary, RCA Records cancelled their contract with him. In February 2019, Kelly was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual crimes, receiving a sentence of over 30 years in prison. The arc of justice is long, but certain.
#1: Prince Andrew & Emily Maitlis “Newsnight” (1980-)
There are few media interviews as disastrous as this one. In 2019, Prince Andrew sat down with Emily Maitlis at Buckingham Palace to talk about his relationship with infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew denied having sex with Virginia Giuffre and said he met with Epstein in 2010 only to break off his relationship with him, although he admitted he stayed at his mansion. After a fierce public backlash, it was announced Andrew would be renouncing his public duties permanently, ceasing to use his titles and honors. In August 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit against him for assault, reaching a settlement in 2022. And in early 2026, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Which other outrageous media interview do you feel merits being slapped with a lawsuit? Let us know in the comments down below!
