‘Self-expression should be celebrated’: Sylvanian Drama spills into real life as TikTok creator faces lawsuit

The internet-famous TikTok account Sylvanian Drama is now at the center of a real-world legal battle, as its creator faces a lawsuit from the brand behind the toys.

If you’re unfamiliar, Sylvanian Drama features Sylvanian Families figurines (known as Calico Critters in the U.S.) acting out wild, often dark storylines involving kidnappings, drug abuse, and murder. One of its most viral videos, titled “My Marriage Is Falling Apart,” has amassed 22.1 million views. A top comment calls it “Shakespearean.”

Thea Von Engelbrechten, based in Kildare, Ireland, launched the account in 2021. She later dropped out of college as the account exploded in popularity (it now has 2.5 million followers) and has since collaborated with brands like Netflix, Burberry, and Sephora.

But in April, the drama left TikTok and landed in court. Epoch Company—the parent brand of Sylvanian Families—filed a copyright lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, as first reported by the Irish Independent.

The company accuses Von Engelbrechten of copyright and trademark infringement, as well as unfair competition. According to the complaint, “Defendant is ‘working to build Sylvanian Drama’s own brand image’ as an advertising and content creation service provider at the expense of Epoch’s goodwill it has built over decades,” Vulture reports.

Epoch states that TikTok had removed some videos following a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice issued in October 2023. However, after failing to reach a lasting agreement with Von Engelbrechten, the company wrote that it “had no choice but to file this lawsuit.”

The case underscores a broader issue: the legal risks creators face when centering content around trademarked brands. Epoch is seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, in addition to profits generated by the Sylvanian Drama account. A pretrial conference is scheduled for August 14, during which both legal teams will explore settlement options or prepare for trial.

Von Engelbrechten has not publicly addressed the lawsuit, and Sylvanian Drama has not posted on any platform since January. (Fast Company has reached out to her for comment.)

Meanwhile, fans have flooded the account’s pinned videos with messages of support. “Someone make her a GoFundMe,” one commenter wrote. Designer Jeffrey Men, creator of the toy company Fancy Teddy, tells Fast Company: “Self-expression should be celebrated, not suppressed. As a small, creator-led brand, I stand with anyone reimagining what toys can mean.”