A mother has sued Mattel after her daughter accessed an adult site via a link on a Wicked doll.
The doll line, based on the musical adaptation of Wicked, features characters portrayed by British actress Cynthia Erivo and American singer Ariana Grande in the film version of the Broadway hit.
Instead of directing customers to the movie's official website, the packaging mistakenly displayed a URL for an adult entertainment site with a similar name, as reported by Sky News.
The error prompted Mattel to recall the affected dolls on November 11, after the mistake was identified last month.
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Los Angeles by Holly Ricketson, a mother from South Carolina.
According to court documents, Ricketson said she purchased a Wicked doll for her daughter, who later followed the printed link to the inappropriate site.
“She showed me hardcore photographs, and we were both horrified by what we saw,” Ricketson stated, adding that the incident caused emotional distress for both of them.
Ricketson claims she would not have purchased the doll had she known about the error. She also alleged that Mattel failed to offer refunds to customers, despite initiating a recall.
The court filing describes the packaging issue as an “inexcusable error” and seeks at least $5 million in damages on behalf of U.S. buyers of the dolls with the incorrect link.
The lawsuit accuses Mattel of negligence, selling defective products, and violating California’s consumer protection laws.
Mattel has not yet commented on the legal proceedings.
However, the company released a statement noting that sales of Wicked dolls with corrected packaging have resumed both in stores and online.
When the error first came to light, the California-based toy giant expressed regret, stating the misprint was “not appropriate for children” and reiterating that its intention was to direct consumers to the official Wicked movie website, WickedMovie.com.
In less intense Wicked news, you might have seen an interview going viral lately that included the term "holding space".
During an interview with Out.com reporter Tracy E. Gilchrist, Erivo appeared deeply moved when Gilchrist mentioned that some fans were "holding space" with the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity', one of the musical's iconic numbers.
“I’ve seen, this week, people are taking the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really holding space with that. And feeling power in that,” Gilchrist told Erivo in a clip that quickly went viral.
A visibly touched Erivo placed her hand on her chest and responded: “I didn’t know that was happening.”
Gilchrist elaborated: “I’ve seen it on a couple posts. I don’t know how widespread. But I am in queer media, so.”
“That’s really powerful. That’s what I wanted,” Erivo replied, before turning to Grande, who nodded in agreement.
While the moment was heartfelt for those involved, viewers online were perplexed.
Amid the growing chatter, Gilchrist addressed the viral moment, explaining the context behind her question.
Speaking to Out.com, she said: “When I posed the question to Cynthia about people holding space with the lyrics to 'Defying Gravity', it was two days after the election, and everyone I knew in the LGBTQ+ community was trying to make sense of what we might be facing.
"I loved her response, and I love that people are having a laugh, because I know I could use one about now.”
Reflecting on her newfound internet fame, Gilchrist added: “I never considered I’d become a meme. But as an unrepentant showqueen, I’m thrilled that it’s for something this campy, in response to a movie I love. Now go see Wicked!”
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