Thurman in dispute over beauty contract

The case adds to a number of high profile disputes between celebrities and cosmetics companies, illustrating that although such deals can be highly lucrative stakes are high if they turn sour. Thurman signed a deal with the France-based cosmetics company for two years in April 2000, with an optional two year contract extension. However, the American actress asked on Friday for $15m in damages as she believes the L'Oreal-owned company profited from her name and image after the contract had ended. Lancôme brought pre-emptive case ​ A few days previously Lancôme, attempting to avoid litigation, filed a pre-emptive case claiming that it had not violated the contract in any way. Thurman responded with her case filed in Manhattan federal court. The lawsuit concerns the appearance of photos of Thurman on Canadian billboards and on Asian websites after the contract ended. A fact that the actress' lawyer Bert Fields claims gave the false impression the star was still linked to the company. Fields also claimed the company failed to tell distributors and retailers to stop using adverts featuring her name and image. Breach of contract​ In a similar case filed late last year fellow US film and television star Teri Hatcher was taken to court by skin care specialist Hydroderm over allegations of breach of contact. In a suit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, Hydroderm claimed that Hatcher violated an exclusive marketing contract by endorsing a lip enhancer developed by City Cosmetics, which was in direct competition with one of its products. Hydroderm alleges the actress had struck a deal that prevented her from endorsing cosmetics marketed by its competitors. The company had paid $2.4m to Hatcher to endorse its products and demanded the money back along with an additional $406, 952 that it claimed to have incurred in costs related to the deal.