'Couples Retreat': Actor Faizon Love sues film studio after he was removed from 2009 film poster

The star, who had a supporting role in the romantic comedy, was deleted from promotional efforts more than a decade ago

Actor Faizon Love, left, with his 'Couples Retreat' co-stars Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman and Vince Vaughn. EPA

It has been 11 years since the film hit cinemas, but Couples Retreat star Faizon Love is now hitting back after he was cut from campaign imagery for the romantic comedy.

The actor has accused Universal Studios of racial discrimination and breaking promises about adequate compensation, after they removed his appearance on promotional posters.

The 2009 film stars Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis and Vince Vaughn as couples who embark on a healing therapy retreat designed to help warring partners repair their relationships.

Love and Kali Hawk also star as a couple who join their friends at the luxurious resort, forming the only non-white partners in the ensemble film, directed by Peter Billingsley.

While the two appear on the posters distributed in North America, they are excluded from posters distributed internationally, a move Love described as an “act of racism.”

Though the actor, who has also starred in Elf and Torque, received an apology from Universal at the time, he has filed a new lawsuit alleging that the studio broke a promise to give him "lucrative, career-making film roles" in return.

"Universal Studios had no problem featuring black actors in the comedic film. But when it came to publicising the film to international audiences, Universal Studios chose to segregate the motion picture's white and black actors," states the lawsuit, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Although Couples Retreat achieved a first-place box office opening weekend ranking, and went on a spectacular run that grossed more than $171 million worldwide, Universal Studios placed Mr Love in the back seat of the ride enjoyed by his six white co-stars."

At the time, the studio apologised for the blunder, saying the move was intended to “simplify” the poster and would not use that version going forward.

"Rather than react with adversity, Mr Love opted for engagement and equanimity. He reached out to Universal Studios and endeavoured to engage constructively," his lawsuit adds. "Universal Studios promised both the immediate cessation of the racist international poster, and prompt recompense to Mr Love in the form of lucrative, career-making film roles. Universal Studios lied."

Universal has so far declined comment on the lawsuit.