Nicci Gilbert Claims Starz Ripped Off Her Stage Play And Created ‘P-Valley’

Nicci Gilbert-Daniels is taking on Starz for allegedly ripping off her idea and using it for their show P-Valley.

According to Gilbert the hit series is a carbon copy of her stage play “Soul Kittens Cabaret” which was released on DVD in 2011.

Gilbert has now filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Lionsgate Entertainment and Starz.

The lawsuit alleges the series is a “veritable unauthorized 2020 knock-off of Plaintiff’s ‘Soul Kittens Cabaret,’” and that the defendants “knowingly and illegally used Plaintiff’s works to create the ‘P-Valley’ television series.”

Gilbert says, on her behalf, entertainment attorney Leroy Bobbit pitched Soul Kittens Cabaret as a musical TV drama to Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer in 2014.

“During the Lionsgate SKC Pitch, Feltheimer expressed enthusiasm and interest in scripting ‘SKC’ as a musical drama series for Lionsgate and even stated that he loved the character named ‘Tata Burlesque,’” the lawsuit states. “Feltheimer further explained that he enjoyed reading scrips and would read the script over the weekend, share it with the Lionsgate team, and follow up with Bobbit,” it continues, noting that she never heard from Feltheimer or Lionsgate again.

The Wrap was the first to report news of the lawsuit.

The Brownstone singer is seeking actual and statutory damages as well as a jury trial in the civil suit.

In the meantime P-Valley, starring Brandee Evans, Elarica Johnson, Tyler Leply and Nicco Annan has been renewed for a season 2.

The Starz series was created by Katori Hall, based on her 2015 play, “Pussy Valley,” and follows several people who work at The Pynk, a strip club in Chucalissa, Mississippi.