Even though “American Idol” is officially over, the show’s legal drama continues.
On Thursday the show’s producer filed a $6 million lawsuit against Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips for an alleged breach of contract.
According to Billboard, 19 Entertainment, which filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, alleges that Phillips “has been holding onto as much as $1 million of 19’s money and that he should also be forced to pay at least $5 million for repudiating and breaching various agreement.”
This isn’t the only pending legal dispute between the pair. In 2015, Phillips filed a petition with the California Labor Commissioner seeking to void his recording, management, and merchandising deals with the company, which he called “oppressive, fatally conflicted.”
Phillip alleges that the contract he signed as a precursor to his success excluded him from his album’s crucial decision-making process and “manipulated” him into performing for free for “Idol” sponsors, which he says is in violation of California’s Talent Agencies Act.
He also claims that 19 Entertainment hired a manager for his first two albums–2012’s “The World from the Side of the Moon” and 2014’s “Behind the Light”–who earned more royalties than he did.
The petition, which was put on pause as a result of 19 Entertainment’s bankruptcy filing, could have huge implications for these reality competition shows if contestants forgo signing contracts in lieu of Phillips’ pending litigation.
This very well may have been the reasoning for 19 Entertainment going on the offensive against Phillips.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the complaint claims that Phillips has been holding onto somewhere between $850,000 and $1 million in “anticipation” that his agreements (which include a recording and publishing deal) would be voided. The complaint adds:
Phillips has refused and insists that he will continue to refuse to perform pursuant to the Agreements, thereby causing Plaintiffs additional damages. The amount of the additional damages from these continuing breaches is not presently calculable with precision but will be presented at the time of trial and will exceed $5,000,000.
Phillips’ attorney Howard King isn’t convinced, and equated 19’s suit to a killer seeking mercy from a victim’s family member. King told the Hollywood Reporter,
19’s new complaint is a blatant attempt to evade California’s jurisdiction and thwart its fundamental public policies crafted to protect artists. 19 cannot murder its parents, then seek mercy as an orphan.
It’s unclear when Phillips’ petition to void his contract will finally resume.