The Hawk Tuah girl, Haliey Welch, is allegedly suing her interviewer over the original viral video that made her famous. After multiple reports of the lawsuit surfaced, DeArius Marlow, the interviewer, revealed it to viewers. As of press time, Welch has not confirmed the lawsuit.
According to multiple reports, the Belfast, Tennessee native is suing for the rights to the original footage. According to the New York Times, Marlow and cameraman Tim Dickerson originally asked Welch for credit when discussing the viral moment in interviews. Since her popularity, Welch has generated thousands in endorsements and appearances.
Welch originally interviewed with Dickerson and Marlow last June in Nashville, Tennessee. In a moment of candidness, she provided an answer that would define her online persona. The phrase “hawk tuah,” an onomatopoeia for a particular act, became an overnight sensation, turning Haliey into an internet celebrity almost overnight.
The original video has been viewed over 8.2 million times on YouTube. Following its viral popularity, Welch signed multiple deals, including a streaming deal with Kick last week. She trademarked the “Hawk Tuah” moniker in July.
Marlow commented on YouTube that he plans to explain the full story soon, even though no public court documents have been released. When fans suggested the lawsuit was fake news, He commented: “Not fake news [skull head emoji]. Dropping a backstory vid on YouTube with all the receipts.”
Tim Dickerson is the rightful owner of the viral video. A stranger who films you on camera owns the footage, by law. Her Instagram following exceeds 2.6 million.
Welch launched the Tuah Talk with Haliey Welch podcast in September. The podcast’s YouTube channel has amassed 125,000 subscribers and featured guest appearances by a-list stars such as Whitney Cummings.The viral moniker inspired a new song by Plies, released in July. We’ll have more on the story as it becomes available.
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