Actress Scarlett Johansson will be paid compensation worth 1980 pounds by an author for 'hurtful' depiction of a character, based on the star, in his novel.
The judge has ordered writer Gregoire Delacourt to pay damages to Johansson, 29, for the 'demeaning' depiction in the novel based on model Jeanine Foucamprez, who bears a striking resemblance to Johansson, reported BBC.
Delacourt argued the character in his book, 'The First Thing We Look At', was meant as a tribute. But Johansson's lawyer told the court the book presented her as a 'sex object'. Delacourt described his work as a satire on celebrity culture.
"It was meant as the highest praise," the author said. "She is an archetypal beauty of our times, very human with a touching fragility," he added.
Lawyers argued it made 'defamatory claims' about Johansson's private life. "For Scarlett Johansson, the fact that she is attributed to relationships that she never mentioned herself is hurtful and demeaning," the court said.
Johansson had sought 39,600 pounds in damages for the 'fraudulent use of her personal rights' but the eventual figure was substantially lower.
The actress had also sought an injunction to stop the novel being translated or adapted for cinema, which was thrown out by the court. Johansson's lawyer said he was extremely pleased with the verdict, but Delacourt's legal team declared the compensation 'derisory'.
'The First Thing We Look At' was published in March 2013 and has sold 100,000 copies.
