Fox Searchlight Fights Back Against ‘Black Swan’ Intern Lawsuit

The media giant claims that it is not even the right defendant in the class-action case

Fox Searchlight filed a motion on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in New York for partial reconsideration of the court's June 11 order in favor of former unpaid interns claiming they should have been compensated under the Fair Labor Standards Act for their labor on "Black Swan."

The case fueled a growing number of  lawsuits against media companies in recent weeks.

But now, Fox Searchlight Pictures Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. (FEG) are asking the court to reconsider the breadth and scope of its decision. The defendants claim that Fox Group and Fox Interactive Media (FIM) are not, nor ever have been subsidiaries or divisions of FEG or Searchlight.

Also read: Has Hollywood Ignited an Intern Uprising? Examining the Brewing Revolution

The action, which will extend litigation, was not unexpected, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Additionally, the defendants want the court to reconsider the time frame for the those qualified to be part of the class-action suit. This could restrict future plaintiffs from inclusion in the class. The June 11 decision allowed others to pursue class-action claims against the company.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

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