‘Goodfellas’ Actor Loses Case Over Lookalike ‘Simpsons’ Character

An actor known for playing a mobster in the 1990 film “Goodfellas” lost an appeal in his fight over a “The Simpsons” TV show character he said violated his rights in his likeness.

The California Court of Appeal ruled yesterday that “The Simpsons” character Louie was different enough from actor Frank Sivero to prevent any claim under the state’s right of publicity law.

The ruling shows that adapting a real person’s traits for a fictional show can escape misappropriation claims if the depiction is different enough to be considered transformative.

“Because of the cartoon distortions as well as the comedic ...