Celebrity Copyright?

What is the name of your state? TX

I would like to use celebrity faces for a certain product I'm creating. I'm also considering using popular quotes from TV/Movies that the celebrity is assosciated with. So an example would be the face of Matt LeBlanc (Joey from friends) saying "How you doin'?" Anyway, I've got some clarification questions that I was curious about.

All questions relate to the scenario above.

A-) Would I need Matt LeBlanc's legal permission and consent to use his face on the product or can I do so freely as long as there is nothing defamatory assosciated with him on the product?

B-) Would an obvious reference to Friends using the above quote and Matt's picture require me to have some sort of legal consent from the producers of Friends or is it legal as long as I don't use the Friends name?

C-) If legal permission is required irregardless for either or both of the first two situations, where do I begin to look for who to contact?

D-) Does the situation change at all if involves a movie instead? (ex:using Jack Nicholson and "Here's Johny")


Thank you in advance for any and all of the questions you answer.

A-) Would I need Matt LeBlanc's legal permission and consent to use his face on the product or can I do so freely as long as there is nothing defamatory assosciated with him on the product?

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Yes to both.

B-) Would an obvious reference to Friends using the above quote and Matt's picture require me to have some sort of legal consent from the producers of Friends or is it legal as long as I don't use the Friends name?

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That depends on the quote. "Friends" has not risen to the level of Casablanca and therefore, quotes such as you are wanting to use may land you in a civil suit.

C-) If legal permission is required irregardless for either or both of the first two situations, where do I begin to look for who to contact?

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First off, there is no such word as irregardless. It's REGARDLESS. You look at the entertainment weeklies to see who owns the copyright and trademark rights to Friends and who is "Joey's" representation. then contact them to get rejected.

D-) Does the situation change at all if involves a movie instead? (ex:using Jack Nicholson and "Here's Johny")

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No it does not. HOWEVER, as I discussed above, that quote is not a good example because it has been in general usage enough to be considered in the public domain. (Think of the word 'kleenex')