Who's Boo Boo Kitty now? A Detroit woman is claiming that she's the real-life Cookie Lyon and her story was the inspiration behind Taraji P. Henson's character on the hit Fox series, "Empire." Sophia Eggleston has filed a $300 million lawsuit against co-creator Lee Daniels and Fox accusing them of stealing her life story, according to Page Six.
The 53-year-old Eggleston claims in the suit filed in the US District Court in Michigan that she was a "drug kingpin" who went to prison for manslaughter when she put a "hit" on a man and wrote a memoir about her "early drug lifestyle" called, "The Hidden Hand." She shared her story with screenwriter Rita Miller in 2011 and claims that Miller called her several months later to say she was going to pitch it to Daniels.
Eggleston points out multiple similarities between her life and Cookie's characteristics including their similar "behavior, style of dress, and background." They also have a taste for mink coats and both have a gay family member.
"There is no possibility the similarities are... mere coincidence," she states in the suit. "Defendants had access to and a copy of (her book.)"
Eggleston provides home care service for the elderly, according to Page Six. She has been imprisoned twice, arrested on drug related charges and was charged last year with Medicare fraud.
"The whole city's been telling me Cookie is basically me," she told Page Six. "Any jury would rule for me - $300 million is a very small price for taking my whole life and stealing it."
Fox, Daniels and co-creator Danny Strong have not commented on the suit. A big hip hop fan, Strong has said in previous interviews that he got the idea for "Empire" while driving around in Los Angeles and hearing a story about Sean "Puffy" Combs. He then pitched the idea as a "hip hop 'King Lear.'"
The storyline that showed Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) stuff his young son Jamal into a trash can for wearing high heels actually happened to Daniels, whose own father struggled with his son's homosexuality.
"Empire" will return for its second season on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m.
